Silent Angel
by Spellspinner Vincent Valentine
Summary: Post DoC. Vincent is told to move on with his life. After vanishing without a trace for months on end the words of one concerned friend facinate him. But can the same words force him to really open up? rated for Cid's foul mouth and a possible lemon...
1. Vision of Heaven

**Silent Angel**

Author: Spellspinner Vincent Valentine

Rating: M - for language mostly…and in later chapters

Pairing: Vincent/Yuffie _post DoC_

**Warnings: **_Romance/Angst _Call it a serious first attempt. Please do not get mad at me if I am not that great at this. I'm not exactly a pro at writing anything besides lemons (and I wouldn't even call myself a pro at that.) Contains minor Dirge of Cerberus spoilers…if you don't want to know play the game first and then come read. If you don't mind read on! If you like Shelke or Lucrecia with or without Vincent…sorry…I'm eliminating Shelke…killing her probably, I really couldn't stand the girl. And Lucrecia…well…as far as I'm concerned she had bad taste if she picked Hojo over Vincent, and clearly wasn't worth Vincent's time. (Maybe you can tell…I hate her…)

Note: Italics are the thoughts of people; bold italics are the thoughts of Chaos.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except this fanfic and the odd idea I had behind it. Vincent and Yuffie are not mine nor are the other final fantasy characters. Vincent, Yuffie, and all the Final Fantasy VII characters are the property of their respective owners. (But if they were mine….wow that would rock.) I tend to borrow the characters and return them in one piece. Well except for Shelke…

Chapter 1

Vision of Heaven

Vincent Valentine was the silent enigma of the heroes of the Jenova War. He was at Midgar with the feisty young ninja, Yuffie Kisaragi, helping with the evacuations before Meteorfall, and was the person that pushed Cloud in the right direction during the outbreak of Geostigma and the appearances of Kadaj, Yazoo, Loz, and the reappearance of Sephiroth. Afterward, he slipped back into the shadows of the world, unwilling to cause more trouble to those around him, content to remain with the woman who held his heart…even if he could never have her.

Then, one year ago, Deepground emerged. At his side appeared the friends he had tried to push away and one in particular had a lot to do with why he came back alive. Yuffie Kisaragi. The girl had matured a good deal in the year since the Second Reunion. He never forgot how she saved his life at the Mako Cannon before Meteorfall. Even though Vincent had told her to evacuate, Yuffie had stayed, and if not for her, he would not have been around to save the planet from Deepground, Weiss, Hojo, and Omega.

Everyone believed life would go on as it was intended to after the destruction of Omega. It appeared to. Half a year went by uneventfully until Shelke grew critically ill. He had been looking after the girl as a little sister of sorts; Shalua had asked him to after all. So when she simply asked everyone to let her return to the planet, to let her return to her mother and sister, the others accepted her wish, while Vincent simply added it to his list of sins. Before her last breath she asked to speak with Vincent. "Lucrecia wants me to…tell you something. I agree…with it."

Vincent watched her struggle to speak as Shelke slowly died in front of him. "…What is it?"

"…Vincent Valentine…Don't let the past keep you from a future…" They were Shelke's last words as her eyes slid shut and her heart flat lined. One more person he could not save. One more sin to add to the list. Some sins, he hoped he had atoned for, while others lingered deep within, sins he knew could never be forgiven. Letting Lucrecia permit herself and unborn child to be used in an experiment, letting Shalua sacrifice herself, letting Shelke slip away were among them. Vincent decided then that he had hurt enough people. After Shelke was laid to rest beside her sister and mother, Vincent Valentine vanished, yet again without a trace.

-_Half a year later-_

Half a year had passed, and no one had heard from Vincent. They had all searched for him but Vincent was never found. Tifa had Cloud search Nibelheim, Cid searched the Sleeping Forest and the Forgotten City, Nanaki searched every inch of Cosmo Canyon, and even Reeve had heard nothing from Vincent. Yuffie had taken it upon herself to search every square inch of the world when she could. Her gold chocobo had been extremely handy with such a task. With no sign of Vincent anywhere else, Yuffie resigned herself to search the one place she never wanted to see him at again. A dark cavern behind a waterfall, inside would be a spring and crystals, contained in the center crystal pillar…was the only person Yuffie Kisaragi could honestly say she never wished to be face to face with.

After a few hours of riding from Cosmo Canyon, Yuffie approached the cavern entrance, hidden just behind a waterfall. _Vincent has to be here…we've searched everywhere else…_ She thought slowly stepping through the waterfall, not at all minding the frigid water cascading down on her. The darkness of the place was no surprise…Vincent liked the dark. He told her once, that he liked it because it let him vanish. Slowly, Yuffie made her way toward the glowing crystal at the center of the cavern. _He only liked to vanish because it made him feel closer to you…_ She thought glaring at the woman in the crystal.

Yuffie sat on the cavern floor looking up at Lucrecia Crescent, the woman who had destroyed Vincent's life, tried to fix it, and still managed to ruin it for him. At least, in Yuffie's "humble" opinion that was how it was. Echoing distantly in her memories were the words of Lucrecia, spoken by Shelke. Words about Omega…

The Omega Report, that was what Shelke used to show them the heavens in all of their glory. Yuffie had been certain Cid was going to squeal with joy when he realized where virtual reality had taken them. Yuffie would not deny that the power of virtual reality had caught her off guard. She allowed herself to slip into a dream land while the beauty of the cosmos flew past, the entire time, almost aching to be closer to Vincent. Every few seconds she would glance at him. _He looked like an angel…a perfect angel_. She recalled sighing softly. _The way the light hit him, the way he stared off into the cosmos…_ Oh he really was something else that Vincent, to her on that day, he was a vision of heaven. A heaven she came to realize…she would never experience.

Omega…the ultimate life form. _Supposedly…_ Yuffie thought wrapping her arms around her legs and drawing them close to her chest. She rested her chin on her knees and looked at the spring. _Personally, I always thought Chaos was the REAL ultimate life form…and if Chaos IS the ultimate life form…that would make Vincent, logically, the ultimate man…_ Her own thoughts brought soft laughter to her lips. She slowly lifted her stormy eyes to the crystal. When Omega lifted the life force from the planet…life would end. Yuffie understood this quite well, but when she had read the report concerning what would happen to Chaos…to Vincent...she began to hate the woman in the crystal with every fiber of her being. It wasn't a sudden hatred though, she hadn't liked Lucrecia since the day she found out about Vincent's past, but it was the type of hatred that flared up at times…right then and there just happened to be one of them. When Omega lifted life from the planet, all that would remain would be an empty shell destined to die in the dark silence of space…this too would be the fate of Chaos.

Yuffie found herself staring bitterly at the woman in the crystal. "Yeah…so your little experiment saved his life…nice work…but what if Vincent hadn't been able to stop Omega huh!? How could you do that to someone you claimed to love!?" Yuffie's eyes narrowed as she glanced at her reflection in the spring. The anger…it was not like her. The hatred in her voice sounded foreign to her own ears. "He still blames himself for your mistakes. He had nightmares all the time…I'm sure he still does…He loved you and you broke his heart!!!" Yuffie sighed. This really was out of character. Usually when she yelled at someone she liked to get their reactions out of it. "…Now his heart is so much a prisoner of the past that…I-I don't think he even knows I exist…"

The crystal pillar's glowing reflection in the spring caused her to glare back at Lucrecia. "You hear me!? I can't win against you! There! I said it! Are you happy now?!" She looked down. Yuffie really could not stand staring at Lucrecia for more than a few seconds; she was after all, the woman who held the heart of the only man Yuffie had felt more than a shred of simple lustful teenage desire for. "I KNOW he will never love me… no matter how much I love him…and no matter how much, just once, I wish…that he would say my name…the way he says yours." The young ninja found her voice breaking. Tears had filled her eyes. Tears she had been desperately trying to hold back for months. "I'm just…such an idiot."

Unbeknownst to Yuffie, Vincent Valentine watched silently from the dark depths of the cavern. His breath was caught in his throat. Had Yuffie really said what he thought she said? Did she really say she loved him? _Why? Why would she be in love with a monster? _he thought gazing at his reflection in a dull crystal. _Why would she wish to be with a monster such as myself? All I have managed to do in my life…is let down the people I should have been able to protect and hurt the ones I have tried to heal. Yuffie…you don't love me…you don't even know what I really am…but how could you? Sometimes I wonder myself…if I'm really fit to be called human._ Vincent slowly lifted his gaze from the dull crystal, to the crying ninja. Why had she come? Was she truly that worried about him? Did she really miss him that much? He shook his head to clear the thoughts from his mind. It really didn't matter after all. She would be just another sin to bear alone if he tried to comfort her; he knew that he would only hurt her in the long run.

He remained silent and still in the cavern. For minutes on end he heard Yuffie's words in the back of his mind. Her secret wish to hear him say her name the way he would so often say Lucrecia's was a complete system shock to him. _Do I really say Lucrecia's name any differently than another's? _ He thought glancing at the crystal pillar. Yuffie's words continued to grip a part of his soul like he had never expected. Vincent tried to push the feeling away. Lucrecia and Yuffie were two very different sides of two very different coins. The woman inside the crystal had not haunted his dreams for a year now, nor was he coming to the cavern as often, he found himself thinking of her still, but not seeing her everywhere he looked. To be honest he didn't wish to see her everywhere he looked. _After all…Shelke said…that Lucrecia wanted me to move on…_ so he had tried. No future seemed to be waiting for him though. The haunting past was all he could see. He remembered the warmth of her smile, the softness of her voice, her radiant eyes…his thoughts were rudely interrupted by images of Yuffie, Lucrecia's polar opposite. The rambunctious, clumsy, and very devious girl's laughter, her whining, and her carefree nature were the first thoughts that came to him. _…Girl? Yuffie isn't even a girl anymore…she's a young woman now. _ And it was true. Yuffie had turned twenty years old in the year that had passed. She certainly didn't look like the arrogant child she had been when he first met her. Her thin tomboyish legs had filled out to that of a woman's and her small waist had filled out as well, giving her more feminine curves…

Vincent shook his head again. It was not right for him to be thinking of his friend in such a way.

**_But why is it wrong?_** A darker voice in his head kept asking, a voice that was strangely familiar, yet not his own**. _Why is it wrong to think of her as a woman instead of a girl?_** He tried to ignore the voice, because it agreed with the little part of him that had been silently aching for the touch of another since he was awoken from his sleep. **_Why will you not acknowledge her as a woman? It is always one excuse after another, first she is too young, then she is a friend, then she is a comrade …When will you quit denying your attraction to her?_** This voice was relentless. Vincent knew this was Chaos speaking to him.

_I can not_… _I will only shroud the light in her with darkness…she deserves someone who can reflect that light, not someone who will negate it_.

At that moment, Vincent was forced deeper into the shadows, as Yuffie got up and ran out of the cavern. When he was sure she was gone he exited the cave. He and Yuffie had been in the cavern for hours. Night had fallen and he watched silently as the young ninja vanished into the distance on her chocobo. Yuffie would return to Wutai, he was certain of it. The pale glow of the moon above bathed the crystalline lake in pale blue light. Vincent looked at his reflection in the water. "Don't you see Chaos? I can't be with her…She deserves someone better." Vincent narrowed his eyes at his reflection. "…I don't want to hurt her any more than I already am…"

For the longest time he stared at his reflection before gazing at a large bush. Hidden behind it was a small cave, and inside that cave was one of the gold chocobos he had raised before vanishing without a word to the others. "Shiryu…come on…" He said softly walking toward the edge of the lake. More waterfalls cascaded down the mountain canyon. This was precisely why he required Shiryu. The gold chocobo was perfect for the high cliffs, and it wasn't afraid of the raging waters. Vincent waited, gazing down at the falling waters as the golden bird hurried over to its master. The bird let out an affectionate 'wark' and nudged his hand gently with its beak. Vincent lifted his hand and gently pat the bird's head before turning to mount it. "…We're going…to Wutai." He told Shiryu before taking hold of the reins. _…I shouldn't follow Yuffie though..._ He sighed softly and nudged the chocobo by its wings with his boots.

**_And yet…here you are…following her. What will you do once you get to Wutai? Stalk the girl? _ **

Vincent sighed. With Chaos interrupting his thoughts every few minutes it was bound to be a long trip to Wutai. _…I don't know what I will do Chaos…but I can not let her go off alone after what happened. She was too emotional; she may drop her guard and get hurt. _

…**_So…you are stalking her under the pretense of concern for her safety…Hmph…keep telling yourself what you are doing is noble…_**

Chaos would continue to irritate him for the rest of the journey. He would do so by pointing out everything Vincent loved about Yuffie. Her smile, her eyes, her optimistic attitude, and her innocence….all in an attempt to force Vincent to mentally admit he was in love with the young ninja. _…I care for her. She is a friend. I am not in love with her. _ Vincent would silently repeat this to himself until Wutai came into sight.

Yuffie would most likely be home and so, after dismounting, Vincent walked to her home in Wutai all the while keeping to the sanctity of the shadows. If anyone saw him, they really would think him a stalker. When he approached her home, he noted that the door was not completely shut. Yuffie had probably neglected to push her door completely shut. He would go in, simply to make sure she was alright, and then leave. So, Vincent silently entered the house. It was dark in the room. The only light came from the faint glow of a paper lantern near Yuffie's bed and a light down at the bottom of the stairs. _She's probably training…_ Vincent thought as the sound of…something being knocked around reached his ears.

_**So go watch...You'd be lying if you said you didn't want to.**_

_I assure you…I am fully aware of this Chaos. _ Vincent thought silently descending the stairs. Glancing into to the training room, Vincent saw her. She was wearing dark shorts and a tank top. He watched her. She moved with flawless grace, something Vincent would admit, Yuffie never exemplified when she knew people where watching. She executed a perfect back flip, and his eyes followed her every move. Her arm moved swiftly through the air, slicing through whatever she imagined to be there. Yuffie was focused, more so than Vincent had ever seen, with the exception of being in combat. Vincent did not even see her pull out the kunai she threw, but he heard them strike her targets. _…She has improved..._Vincent noted watching Yuffie. Her accuracy was becoming as deadly as his, her speed was phenomenal, and her balance had improved remarkably.

It was only as she executed a series of flips that he noticed something shimmer in the light. _…The Cerberus Relief…the one I lost in Midgar…_ His eyes moved to his gun. It had taken forever to track down the smith who had cast the original and even longer to wait for the new one to be finished. He had scoured Midgar for the original but to no avail. The Cerberus Relief had been lost for good. At least…that's what he thought then. Vincent had always wondered what had become of it. _So Yuffie has had it all this time….why?_

**_Fool…you will not allow yourself to get close to her and it is the only thing she desires. She keeps it, so that she may keep you beside her in a sense…_ **

_Keep me…beside her?_ He sunk deeper into the shadows. _Does she wish me to be beside her that badly?_ Vincent shook his head lightly. All this thinking was bound to give him a headache. She was a friend, a comrade, and he was not going to get involved with her. _I will not be the one to hurt her...I do not wish to be the one who breaks her heart or causes her pain. I've done that to enough people…._Vincent was stirred suddenly from his thoughts by a loud, all too familiar, angry voice.

"Damn you Vincent!!!" He glanced into the room just in time to see her break through a large stack of fire wood with a swift kick. "I oughta break every bone in your body!!!!" He moved back out of sight.

_One minute she wants me here the next minute she wants to break every bone in my body…_

_**You'll get used to it…**_

Vincent moved far from the door, completely out of sight, as Yuffie turned and left her training room and began heading up the stairs. He tensed when she stopped and glanced over her shoulder into the darkness of the hall. "Vincent…" she said softly.

…_.Does she know I am here?_

_**Be calm and patient…**_

Yuffie sighed within a moment and shook her head lightly. "…Guess I'm just fooling myself…hoping you'll be there each time…just watching out for me…like always…" He watched her run her fingers through her slightly sweaty bangs before she turned and continued to climb the stairs.

Vincent followed her in silence. Moving silently was a skill he prided himself on. If he were to venture a guess, he would have to say he was better at it than Yuffie. He entered the upstairs and glanced past the screen that parted her room. Part of him would be forever grateful for the sight that he witnessed from the space between the wall and the screen. She had pulled her tank top over her head; her shorts lay on the floor. Vincent's mind waged war with itself. Chaos and that part of him he had forgotten about were winning.

**_She is magnificent…Do you honestly mean to tell me you do not think her a woman?_ **

_She is my friend…_Vincent averted his eyes. _I will not…and must not think of a friend in such a way. I should not be here now. Yuffie is safe...that is the only reason I came. I will not sit here and watch her like…_

_**Like you want to?**_

_Chaos…I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't interrupt me…_

**_Then simply quit denying it…you are in love with this girl…_ **

_I do not love her. She is my friend. _ Vincent was relieved when Yuffie blew out the candle behind the paper lantern. He could see her clearly in the darkness. She however, would be unable to see him. That was how he preferred it. So he watched, ignoring for the first time, the rational voice that told him not to watch. This time, he was siding with Chaos and the darkness in him. He watched her until she crawled into her bed and fell asleep before quietly moving to kneel beside her. The leather glove that normally covered his hand had been removed, and he slowly reached out to touch her cheek. Yuffie's soft, warm skin briefly warmed his icy heart.

_**You don't plan on leaving now do you? **_

_….No….I do not. _ Vincent's garnet eyes looked her over. The curve of her body under the blanket, the softness of her hair and skin, the soft voice that muttered indistinctly as she slept..._ Yuffie does not wish to be alone…so I will remain. I will look after her from the shadows…until she can find another…someone worthy of her. _

Minutes passed like hours as he watched her sleep. Each time she would shift he would move back so that if she were to wake, she would not see him. A few times he heard her muttering something about the Omega Report. Broken parts of the report…from the day Shelke's synaptic net dive had revealed the cosmos, the purpose of Omega, and the destiny of the planet to them. Vincent listened to her as she whispered his name softly in her sleep and pulled her blankets tightly to her.

_…Is she…dreaming about me?_ He could not help but wonder as he gently pushed her bangs back from her face. _Yuffie…why? Why are you so focused…on me?_ She looked peaceful in her sleep and though he would never admit it to any one else, as she slept he regarded her as only one thing.

A vision of heaven…


	2. A Sun to Reflect

**Silent Angel**

Author: Spellspinner Vincent Valentine

Rating: M - for language mostly…and possible scenarios in later chapters…

Pairing: Vincent/Yuffie _post DoC_

MistressSara I owe you a thank you. Your assistance was greatly appreciated. I forgot to add that in my first chapter. Luckily I am not a total air head and remembered it this time around. Kigen, a thank you to you as well…for promising to help me fight off the flamers should any appear. Thank you kindly for such assistance. I've never been much good at counter flames. Cyllwen, thanks for reading bits and pieces to tell me how they sounded. First non lemon was hard work for me, so thanks for tolerating me. Last but not least Faraway Dawn…heh…well I did it. I wanted to thank you for telling me about the quote "To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing..." Is it true that you got that in a fortune cookie?? Anyway thanks for keeping after me to finish the chapter too. Also, thank you to all who read and reviewed. The reviews are an author's elixir of life, or so I have been told by a friend. I must agree with her. Seeing reviews motivated me to get to work on this chapter.

**Warnings: **_Romance/Angst (nothing too serious) _I have eliminated Shelke, if you liked her, sorry about that. I just really couldn't stand the girl. She had less emotion than Vincent…and that's saying something. As for Lucrecia…well if you are reading this chances are you don't like her much either, and you are probably delighted that I refuse to make Vincent pine over her. There are a lot of theories about where Vincent was born and raised, to be honest I think it is quite possible that he was either born or raised in Wutai, or had some biological connection to Wutai and her people. When looking at him from his Turks days, I realized he really does have a more Asian complexion than anyone else. So purely based on his appearance I'm giving him a simple connection to Wutai, his mother. Hopefully no one will flame me for it because I have the master of counter flames on my side. –consider yourself warned.

Note: Italics are the thoughts of people; bold italics are the thoughts of Chaos.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except this fanfic and the odd idea I had behind it. Vincent and Yuffie are not mine nor are the other final fantasy characters. Vincent, Yuffie, and all the Final Fantasy VII characters are the property of their respective owners.

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A Sun to Reflect

Vincent watched Yuffie sleep for hours until finally, a faint light appeared on the horizon from a window, one Yuffie apparently had installed. The sun was rising, Yuffie would wake soon, and he would again vanish. Chaos had been constantly asking why he insisted on sinking back into the shadows of the world. Why simply watch Yuffie at a distance? Why would he not just give the girl what she wanted? Vincent ignored most of the questions. Chaos really had no right to be poking around in his business. What he wished to do and why he did it were of no concern to the mysterious demon.

**_But it is my business. This is my body too…_**

_If I had a choice my body wouldn't be yours...and weren't you supposed to return to the Lifestream with Omega?_

**_Supposed to…but you didn't really think you could get rid of me that easily did you? I figured you nearly got us both killed…you deserved a few months off. But we have veered off topic, come now Valentine…You're ageless because of me, you are practically immortal, what more could a person ask for?_**

_Immortality isn't what I want…I want a normal life…if there is such a thing._

**_You wish to age, to become old, weak, and useless?_**

Vincent looked at Yuffie and smiled for a second when she pulled her pillow over her face. _Perhaps that is what I desire…_

To Vincent's relief, Chaos fell silent. Age did not frighten him, so much as the prospect of being completely alone did. If he did not age while others continued to, in time he would be alone and all those around him would be gone. The last remains of all he held dear would vanish and there would be no way to continue from that point. _What more could I do with such a life?_ Vincent thought moving to the window.

He waited until he heard Yuffie's breathing pattern change ever so slightly, the first signs that she was truly waking up. He deftly jumped through the open window onto the ground just outside and moved around the corner of the house before taking a seat.

He heard her stir. She was getting up, grumbling something about the crack of dawn being too early for anyone to be awake. He smirked slightly as a soft breeze blew into Wutai from the ocean. Yuffie was always the first one up on the Highwind and on the Shera, usually in her usual spots trying not to throw up, and always grumbling about it being too early or about how much she hated airships.

He was startled from his thoughts when he heard a loud crash from the house. He had drawn Cerberus in an instant and had moved back to the window. He glanced inside to find Yuffie on the ground rubbing her head. A small green orb with a few different colored lights inside it was glowing near her feet. _Contain materia?? _When he was certain she was alright he moved back out of sight fighting an urge to chuckle. _She tripped on her own materia...How typical._

"Ouch…oh damn that hurt…" Yuffie muttered slowly getting back onto her feet. She picked up the Contain Materia she had tripped on. It was her favorite materia. They had found it a good four years ago, when they had been in Mideel. A white chocobo had it and Cid had managed to get the materia from the chocobo. _With my help of course! _Yuffie thought. _I'm the one who knew the chocobo liked being scratched behind its ears!!_ Cid had been on edge about giving Yuffie such a rare materia so Cid put the best materia in Vincent's care.

Vincent had worked constantly to master the materia. Once he had he had given her the original and kept the new materia for AVALANCHE. 'At least you'll have a better defense, should your skills for any reason not be enough…' He had said. She thought it was adorable then, adorable that he was worried enough about her to give her one of the best materia they had. It had saved her life a few times too. The powerful magic harbored in the Contain materia had gotten her through Deepground when she was unable to sneak by the Deepground Soldiers. With a flare spell here, a freeze spell there, and the occasional tornado spell, she couldn't help but wonder how Vincent had not noticed she was following him sooner. Yuffie glanced at her clock. Five-Thirty A.M. Her father would be on her case again in a matter of hours. _Well no matter what that old coot says...I'm not getting married._ She thought grabbing a pair of clothes before heading to her bathroom to shower.

Godo Kisaragi had been on her case for months since Deepground was defeated. 'You are already much older than the usual bride Yuffie!' he would say. On other occasions he would say things like, 'It's high time you got married!' _Crazy old coot…_ She thought stepping into the warm shower. She was all up for marriage…just not to any of the lame guys around Wutai.

The one she wanted her father probably wouldn't mind. The real problem was that Vincent was in love with Lucrecia, and nothing was going to change that fact. _Nothing will change it...She's dead, stuck in a crystal, and even told him to move his ass on...and I'm willing to bet he is just going to sit up in that cave till kingdom come and pine over her!!! Argh! Oh the sheer nerve of him, making me act like a total girl while he pines over a dead woman from his tragic past._ Yuffie finished her shower and got changed. Today she would need a brand new excuse for avoiding marriage…and it was time to start thinking.

She began searching her house looking for something that would help her. Corny romance novels, corny romantic poems, corny romance movies…_Gawd…how much of this stuff do I have???_ She thought growing desperate in her search for the ultimate excuse. Then she spotted one of her mother's poetry books lying open near her bed. _Perfect! Mom always knew best!_ Yuffie grinned and fell back down onto her bed. She picked up the book and read aloud. Her mother was possibly the most magnificent poet in Wutai. Every few pages were not a new poem but simply words of wisdom. "To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing…" she read. Yuffie smiled. That sounded like her mother alright. Then she came across a simple passage of her mother's elegant writing.

'In all relationships someone plays the role of the sun and another, the role of the moon. The sun shines vibrantly, it radiates warmth that all can feel, it needs only a place to shine. The moon however, does not shine with its own light. The moon requires a sun to reflect the light of. The moon appears cold and unfeeling but when the right sun appears it shines brightly and grows warmer. The moon is a guide post to those who travel in the blackest night…and it silently watches over those who require its guidance even when they can not see it…' Yuffie smiled. "Perfect!!!! I'm simply looking for the right guy…and no guy here in Wutai is the moon I'm looking for…"

Vincent listened from outside. _The moon she is looking for?_ He heard Yuffie read a passage out loud. Then it made sense. _She is searching for someone to reflect her light…Chaos…did you hear that? Someone to reflect her light…I told you I was not the one she really wanted…_

**_You obviously were not paying attention to the rest of it. If I did not know any better…I would assume the girl's mother somehow wanted her passage to describe you and the girl perfectly. _**

_I fail to see how the passage describes us perfectly…_

_**You seem to be cold and unfeeling, you do not shine nor do you try to. You watch over the girl even though she never sees you…starting to ring a few bells?**_

_If you are trying to say to me that I am the one Yuffie needs you are mistaken…_Vincent sighed in frustration. Yuffie was however, very much like the sun. There was a warm glow that seemed to emanate from her and everyone seemed able to feel it. Even he could feel it. She made people smile when no one else could. She made people laugh when some felt they had forgotten how to. She got under everyone's skin in some way and still managed to keep them close. Yuffie was an amazing young woman. He would not deny it. Vincent leaned closer to the walls when he heard Yuffie speak softly.

"Pity the one I want…just won't forget the past…" He heard her open something, more than likely a small chest, and pull something out. It sounded like paper. It was probably a note or a photograph. "Vincent…are you ever going to come back?" He heard her whisper. He leaned back against the house as he heard her continue. "…Because I really miss you…" before replacing whatever it was back in the chest. He heard her shut the window and leave the house. From around the corner he watched as she locked it and headed for the pagoda. Once he was sure she was gone, he went back to the window and opened it.

_So she locks the doors but not the windows..._

_**…So she isn't the most intelligent-**_

_Not another word out of you Chaos…_Vincent thought climbing through the window. He went over to the chest he heard Yuffie open and gently lifted the lid.

**_Going through a woman's things is a surefire way to get yourself killed…_**

_Didn't I just tell you to be silent Chaos?_ He looked at the item on the top of the pile of things inside the chest. It was a picture. He recognized it. It had been taken at Reeve's insistence after the Second Reunion. It was taken at the Sector 8 Slums Church. Cloud smiled rather contently with Tifa leaning against his shoulder. Cid was grinning ear to ear and pointing up toward the sky. Chances were the airship was hovering right above when the picture was taken. Barret, Marlene, and Denzel were laughing about something or other and were obviously not paying attention to the camera. Nanaki was sitting down with Cait Sith on his back. Reeve was beside them both. Then Vincent's eyes fell upon Yuffie. She had thrown her arms around his neck and practically jumped into his arms. A wide, pleased grin was plastered across her face. There he was…staring completely dumbfounded at the girl who had suddenly jumped on him.

Vincent glanced down at another picture…no a collage of pictures. All of them were of him. _What on earth…_

**_Oh…I think this means she really likes you Valentine…_**Chaos said softly in the back of his mind. **_I mean…she's got some good pictures here…_**

_I'm soaking wet in the one…._Vincent noted while lifting a separate picture from the chest. It was taken either after one hell of a rainstorm, or after he had left the cavern behind the waterfall. In the picture his hair was soaked and plastered to his face. He could see the drops of water lingering on his eyelashes and in his hair. _Why did I not notice her taking this picture? _The garnet eyes that stared up from the picture looked almost, disturbing as it sounded, seductive. _And…why do I look like I was trying to seduce someone in this picture?_

**_Again…I'm saying she likes you…Hm? Oh you really do look like you were trying to seduce someone…_**

Vincent sighed. Inwardly, he had a feeling it was this particular picture Yuffie had been gazing at and speaking to before she left.

On the other side of the town, Yuffie sat silently listening to her father, yet again, complain about how old she was getting. "You are so much older than the average bride in Wutai Yuffie!!! Most girls are married at fifteen or sixteen, and none have ever married older than 18!!!"

"Yeah, yeah I know pops…." Yuffie muttered. Silent though she had been through her father's rant, her mind was completely in another dimension. She was thinking of Vincent again. _Again! Do you realize how pathetic you are becoming Yuffie!? Day in and day out he's all you've been thinking about! Really Yuffie this is getting pathetic! Pathetic pathetic pathetic pathetic!!!_

"Don't you 'yeah, yeah' me Yuffie." Her father said suddenly snapping her out of her reverie. "You have spent enough time running around the world. It is high time you settle down and marry."

"…Aw pops we've had this argument a billion times before!" Yuffie whined. If she tried to be annoying, maybe he would let her slide another few months. "I don't wanna marry just anyone. I want someone Tall, dark, and handsome."

"You've been watching too many movies Yuffie."

"No really!!" She countered. "I want uh….a guy about eh…this tall?" She said standing on her toes and holding her hand above her head. "With long dark hair and eh… a weird eye color!" _Gawd Yuffie…make it a little more obvious you want a very specific someone why don't ya??_

"Yuffie…getting back to the real world now…" Her father said turning away from her. "I can give you a few more weeks at the most Yuffie. Time is wasting, I am getting no younger, and you need to get married!"

"I get the picture already jeeze…" Yuffie muttered. _And I was thinking of a real guy dad…you know…one that's WAY out of my league…but real all the same!_ "…Do you remember the people that came to Wutai…when I stole the materia??"

Her father tilted his head, unable to see what on earth that could possibly have to do with their conversation. "Yes."

"Well…I kinda like one of the guys from the group…"

"Kinda? Oh dear Leviathan please tell me it's not the pilot with the foul mouth that smelled like axel grease!"

Yuffie almost fell over. "Cid Highwind!? Dad! No Cid's married! He's more like an obnoxious uncle to me anyway."

"Oh gods no! It's the Chocobo head isn't it?!" Godo said growing more anxious. The foul mouthed pilot was one thing but the boy with gravity defying hair was another. The blonde with the large sword and strange hair seemed to be naturally unlucky.

"His name is Cloud dad; I think he's with Tifa, but even if he weren't… NO! It's not him." Yuffie sighed. Eventually her father would have to remember Vincent.

"Is it the funny little cat on the moogle?" He continued.

_Does he have to pick the least likely ones first?! _"…Cait Sith is a stuffed cat dad…and no it's not him or Reeve."

Godo scratched his head slightly. "Perhaps you mean that Barret fellow?"

Yuffie began to grind her teeth. "He's got a daughter dad…and I'm pretty sure he thinks of me as another daughter." She watched as her father paced around the manor. Finally realizing her father was not recalling Vincent as vividly as she was she muttered, "I'm just seeking the moon to reflect my light…"

Her father stopped. As if it had suddenly dawned on him. "The gunman…that Vincent Valentine?"

Yuffie held her breath and nodded.

"Oh wonderful! I liked him. He was quite an intelligent fellow. Yes…" Godo resumed pacing around, much to Yuffie's displeasure. Something about seeing her father pace around was mildly unnerving. Maybe it was because he always did it when she screwed up in training, or when he was angry at her for some stupid reason. "Isn't he a bit old for you though??"

_Of course he is…but age has its benefits._ "Yeah but that's part of the reason he's so great dad. He's smart, he thinks things through, he's a bit of a pessimist though…he always seems to look for the worst case scenario…but that's ok I guess. Knowing the worst that could happen helped us prepare for things better than we would have…" within minutes she had gotten off topic. "…and he's just so perfect dad. His eyes are so beautiful; his voice is oh gawd is it sexy…and his hair! Oh I love his hair. I always want to play with it. It's so long and soft…and I bet he's got a great body. I've seen him do back flips I could only hope to land. You know now that I think about it, the way he moves and fights, it's a lot like how I move and fight…Think that's coincidence old man?"

Godo had been tuning his daughter out once she got on the topic of Valentine's physical features. Or, at least he had been, until his daughter mentioned how the man moved and fought. "Like you hmm? Well I suppose it is possible he was trained for combat in Wutai. That would be the only explanation, unless of course he was born here or raised here. Any of those would be plausible, Yuffie." He finally sat down across from his daughter and looked her in the eye. "Tell me what he looked like before this, experimentation began."

"Uh…" Yuffie faltered. She only knew what Shelke had told her, and it wasn't much. "Tall, thin but muscular…" _At least I think… _"…a tan complexion…kinda like mine maybe a little bit lighter, dark hair, and garnet eyes." She watched her father nod. Nodding was good right???

"It sounds like he may have some Wutainese blood in him. Nothing for certain of course, but it sounds like he might."

Yuffie smiled slightly at her father's words. _Well it would explain how he can do the same things I can. I mean Tifa is pretty athletic and even she has a hard time moving the same way Vincent or I do. _"So eh…would Vincent be…workable???" Yuffie said softly, making certain to give her father her best puppy dog eyes.

Her father sighed. No one could resist Yuffie's pouty expressions, especially not the puppy dog eyes. She held back her grin of triumph. _No need to let the old coot know I know I've won already. _Finally her father spoke. "If the man can tolerate you, then by all means, marry him."

"Really!?" Yuffie practically squealed. "You mean it!?"

"Well…if the man can tolerate you he must be a blessing from the gods, and if he can pass my tests he is certainly worthy…"

"Good! Vincent can pass any test you set before him! The man is a genius I swear!" She sighed dreamily. "And Oh sweet Leviathan can he fight…" Yuffie continued to ramble for a few minutes before her father excused her for the day. 'But remember. You've only got a few weeks Yuffie.' He had said. Yuffie didn't mind. Surely within the next few weeks she could find Vincent. _Find him…how the hell are you supposed to make him love you that fast!? Idiot what were you thinking you're never going to be able to do this!!!_ Yuffie tuned out her thoughts. Today was going to be a good day, and no manner of doubt was going to ruin it for her. She headed outside of town toward the ocean shores. She liked to train on the beach there. There were large waves to test her balance against, all sorts of nasty beasts to test her strength on, and plenty of comfy places to collapse when she'd had enough.

When she finally found Vincent he would be beyond impressed with how much she had improved! She would be in tip top shape and would be able to challenge him to a round of sparring perhaps. The mere thought made her grin. _Sparring with Vincent would be great…He's agile_, _he's got some killer acrobatic skills, and I would LOVE to have him pinned after a take down. _She could feel the heat in her cheeks. She was blushing. And who cared if she was? As far as she was concerned, any woman with half a brain would be plotting pinning Vincent down on the ground while sparring with him. _And plotting what to do if he pinned me…_

Yuffie quickly found her spot near a cluster of rocks right along the water's edge and began to practice. Strong waves crashed against her and she held her ground. Beasts attacked and she defeated every single one in seconds. She threw her shuriken across the beach and chased after it, always making it to the destination a split second before her weapon. She practiced her spells on a large ruined cargo ship that had obviously crashed on the coast ages ago.

Perfect balance, increased strength and speed, and improved magical accuracy…_but I expected that…_ She threw her weapon at the ropes that hung from the ships mast. She had tied them there to give her something to target. A perfect shot. The blades of her shuriken sliced clear through every rope. _You think I would be happier about this…._She thought catching her weapon effortlessly as it returned. _If only Vincent had seen that….he'd stand there with his arms crossed and then he would nod. Then he'd say 'Yuffie...You've improved.' Nothing else just that, and my heart would pound like there was no tomorrow._

As Yuffie silently contemplated Vincent's reaction to her obvious improvement, while staring blankly at her weapon, a figure watched her from the high shadows of the cliff. If Yuffie had looked toward the rocky walls of the cliff, she would see only the dazzling sun and the ominous shadows it left in its wake.

It was growing later in the day. It was already high noon. The figure on the outcrop noted. He had to tie back his hair to keep it from whipping around in the breeze; he had to sit on his cloak too. _She has improved so much…_ His eyes followed her every move as she returned to her practicing. The very thoughts he had from watching her before crept back into his mind. _Flawless…graceful…_Vincent Valentine had to remind himself that such words usually did not fall into the same sentence when it came to Yuffie Kisaragi. After all, hadn't she tripped on her own materia that very morning? He watched her flip across the sand, a feat that required a good deal of strength and balance, as the sand was ever shifting beneath her. Yuffie would never cease to amaze him. _She must never know how much I enjoy simply watching her. _A dark and very slight smile curved Vincent's lips. _She'll make some man very happy one day…_

**_Why some man? Why not yourself? You are happy just watching the girl. You gaze at her with a longing in your eyes. More than anything you have been aching for the touch of another, you can not hide this from me. Approach her, confess your desires, she will reciprocate._**

Vincent sighed softly. _Why do you wish me to do this Chaos? Honestly, what could you possibly be getting out of this?_

**_Minor excitement? Think of it as a reason for me to completely return to the planet…the perfect opportunity for you to attain that "normal" life you so desperately crave. _**

The demon had a magnificent argument. It would be the perfect opportunity for everything he desired. Chaos would return to the planet and his mind would be free of the powerful being's thoughts. His mind would be almost free. He would be able to live, possibly love, age, and finally die. _…I can not. __I will not be the water that douses the flame within her. She is so full of life and she has the right to be happier than I. I can not and will not be the one to cause her sorrow…_ Vincent sighed bitterly. "And that is really all I am good for…" he muttered watching Yuffie strike down another beast that had snuck up on her.

Below Vincent could hear Yuffie swear profusely in rapid Wutainese. She had a minor cut on her arm and was in the process of healing herself with her Cure materia. He wouldn't have recognized any of the words she had spoken if his mother had not accidentally said almost the exact same words to an obnoxious man one day in his youth.

He had been only a child and his father was always away on "official business" and so his mother took over the duties of mother and father when he was away. Apparently, the man at the shop had not been very respectful to her. He remembered vividly that his mother told him never to behave the way the man had. However, more clearly he could recall the sound of his mother swearing in Wutainese. She had taught him to speak it as well and he knew those were the few words he was not permitted to say in his mother's presence.

The sound of Yuffie swearing made him smile, when in the past it would have earned her a stern glare. Before, he would have told her she was being immature, or that she was not acting very ladylike. She reminded him of how his mother was…so for now, she could do as she pleased. _Just like my mother...just like the sun. _

There was no denying that if he was destined to be anything in any relationship, he would be the enigmatic moon, just as his father had been. Watching Yuffie however drew a greater question to the surface of his mind.

_Is she the sun I yearn to reflect the light of?_


	3. Obscured by the Shadows

**Silent Angel**

Author: Spellspinner Vincent Valentine

Rating: M – for Cid's language mostly…and possible scenarios in later chapters…

Pairing: Vincent/Yuffie _post DoC_

**Warnings: **_Romance/Angst (nothing too serious)_. If you don't like the pairing please just don't read. I have a very good counter flamer willing to help me so no flames… consider yourself warned.

AN: I'm gonna try to keep my updates coming in steady. It's hard since I am prone to writers block but I do love writing so I'll write whenever I get a spare minute.

Note: Italics are the thoughts of people; bold italics are the thoughts of Chaos.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except this fanfic and the odd idea I had behind it. Vincent and Yuffie are not mine nor are the other Final Fantasy characters. Vincent, Yuffie, and all the Final Fantasy VII characters are the property of their respective owners.

Please read, review (this one especially would be much appreciated), and enjoy.

Chapter 3

Obscured by the Shadows

The afternoon sun shifted from its seat in the heavens with the growing hours. Not once in those hours did he move from his spot. Not once did Yuffie stop for more than three minutes. When the setting sun finally began to sink behind the mountains and the sky began to grow darker, Yuffie finally decided to end her practicing for the day and to return to her home.

Yuffie looked out at the darkening firmament over the sea, and the moon rising on the horizon. Small stars were emerging from their hiding places in the heavens, filling the velvety night sky with jewel-like shimmers of light. Her mother had told her once, when she was still young and afraid of the dark, that the night sky was simply a beautiful traveler's cloak that the sun put on when it continued its journey to the other side of the world. Her mother described it as dark velvet, studded with diamonds, and the moon was a glowing amulet that protected the sun in the dark.

Yuffie had always loved her mother's description of the night sky, and from that day on, she was never afraid of the night. The ever darkening sky drew her out of her slight reverie. She would have to hurry home, the beasts were more ferocious at night, and the ocean was a good distance away from Wutai.

As she turned to head toward the sandy dunes that hid the old beaten road back to Wutai she heard something flap in the wind. Yuffie tightened her grip on her shuriken as she turned and scanned the coast behind her. There was nothing. The old ripped sails of the ship were sheltered from the breeze and thus, were still. _But I heard something…where did it…_ Her eyes scoured the dark shadows of the cliff until she saw it. Some form of tattered cloth blew in the breeze. What little of it caught the moonlight caused her eyes to widen. She would know that tattered fabric anywhere. _He…he's here…it has to be him!_ "Vincent!!!" she yelled, her voice echoing along the cliff walls. The cloth drew suddenly back into the shadows. "Vincent, wait!!" she yelled running to the steep wall of rock. Without pausing to think she dug two of the sharp blades of her shuriken into a crevice in the wall and jumped up onto it.

Once she was content that her weapon would support her weight she began climbing. If Vincent really was up there, it would be the first time anyone had seen him in half a year. She climbed swiftly and with remarkable caution despite her haste. Doubt began to plague her mind as she drew closer to the ledge. What if it had been a mere illusion? What if Vincent had not been there at all? What if, in her desperate desire to see him again, her mind had conjured but a glimpse of the one she ached to see?

_Damn my mind to hell if that's what happened!!! _Yuffie thought reaching up for the ledge. _I know what I saw! Vincent was here. I know he was. I believe he was. _Her hand made contact with the sand covered ledge, _I have to believe he was…_; she relinquished her grip on the crevice below her when she felt it. The soft sand made her hand slide. The ledge slipped beyond her grasp before she realized what was happening. Her foothold was not strong enough to support her weight as she reached out desperately for the ledge. She heard, and felt the rock crumble beneath her. Her stormy gray eyes widened when she saw the outcrop suddenly jump a few inches higher.

She was falling and it was too late to do anything about it. She was up too high to survive the fall and even if by freak chance she did, she would be seriously injured. Such injuries would leave her helpless on the beach, a sitting duck for all sorts of beasts. The sandy ledge slipped further away. _So this is it… I die like this... _She thought gazing longingly at the ledge. _Vincent…how ironic huh…if I had to see anyone before I died, I'd want it to be you, looks like I'm not even gonna get that…_

Yuffie was startled from her ridiculously morbid thoughts on death, dying, being splattered on the sand, and so forth, by a strong hand gripping her wrist, slowly pulling her up back to the ledge. As soon as she managed to crawl to her kneels she felt someone pull her roughly against them. She could hear her savior's heart pounding. She kept her eyes shut tight, almost afraid to open them.

She felt so stupid. She had climbed up a dangerous cliff for the pure purpose of finding Vincent, or what she thought was Vincent, and this poor stranger managed to save her. _I'm such a klutz…if this guy hadn't…_ Guy??? Why was there a guy randomly on a high ledge? She had thought she had seen Vincent on this ledge. _Oh Leviathan, what if…_

She could feel long, soft hair whip past her head in the night breeze. She could smell the gunpowder, she could feel the gun's holster, she could hear his breathing slow to a more calming rate, and she recognized the red and black fabric her head rested against. Slowly she looked up. His face was obscured by the shadows that hid most of his form from sight. "Vincent?" She whispered, praying that he was no illusion, that the man who held her tightly against himself was real. She saw the flash of garnet eyes gazing at her. It was him.

She felt him release her and in a few seconds he sunk back into the shadows. "Vincent wait!!" she yelled again, reaching out to the darkness. Her hand grasped only air for a moment before connecting with the hard, cold rock face of the cliff. He was gone again. She stared blankly at the cliff for a few moments before the sound of motion above her, on the rock surface of the highest cliff ledge, caught her attention. It was only about ten feet. She could climb that far with no fear, especially if Vincent were there. She dug her hands into a crevice and began pulling her shaking body up the cliff face.

The sound of motion, just a few feet above her was becoming silent. She could hear him moving swiftly away. _Is he running? Why would Vincent run from me? _She grabbed a root from a large tree and pulled herself up onto the top of the cliff. She decided to return for her weapon in the morning. What weapons she had with her now would simply have to suffice.

Her eyes racked the path. A misplaced stone here or there could lead to a footprint…at least…she hoped so. Silence broken only by the sound of the wind around her and the waves crashing onto the shore below, seemed to engulf Yuffie's senses as she searched. It felt eerie being alone on the high cliff.

Vincent could have gone in any direction, and he was clever enough to leave no trace of which direction he had run off in. Not a single stone on the beaten gravel path out of place, not a single bit of tall grass flattened…It occurred to Yuffie then, that Vincent really was a masterful escape artist, more so than she had ever been anyway.

Safe, out of sight, and silent was how he would remain until Yuffie sighed in frustration and continued onto Wutai. He followed her from the safety of the shadows. Her every step watched closely by his expertly trained eye. If she was in danger at any point during her trek home, it was taken care of so swiftly that the young ninja never had to throw a glance behind her. Vincent was grateful he had put forth the extra Gil for the silencer for Cerberus. Every shot fired broke none of the night's peaceful sounds. Each beast was felled in silence and so swiftly even their bodies crashing to the ground went unheard by Yuffie.

The trip back to Wutai seemed to take longer than he expected. Yuffie was walking slowly, obviously lost in thought. **_Well of course she is. You saved her and then vanished. Of course she is going to be lost in thought. She is probably wondering what would cause you to run from her._**

_I had to. I feel like I am going mad. I can not look at her without feeling…strange. When she fell my heart was pounding so fiercely I thought it might explode. I can not and must not feel this way…_ Vincent thought moving with remarkable grace through the dense woodland surrounding Wutai. _Do you not see how wrong it is for me to feel this way about her? I'm more than twice her age…_

_**I fail to see how your age plays any role…Women younger than her have married men older than you. **_

_It is not right. She should be with someone her age. Someone not so hardened to the world around them._

**_Do you wish to know what I think Valentine?_ **Chaos said softly to him, the words in Vincent's mind seemed deeper than usual, almost as though they had been given serious thought. **_I think you are afraid of being loved. You are afraid of being betrayed by love. _**

Chaos honestly had no idea how correct he was this time. Love had been the greatest joy in Vincent's life and at the same time it had been the greatest pain he could have ever imagined. The one woman he loved more than life itself had been his downfall. She had punished herself for it and her actions had led him to punish himself. The fear that someone else could fill the void in his heart, the fear that he could be betrayed by what he secretly wished for, and the fear that he would harm the one capable of saving him from a lonely, bleak existence was what was holding him back. He understood it and he wished he did not. Admitting Chaos was right was never the highlight of his day. _More so than you could ever imagine Chaos…_

_**…So you will condemn yourself to a life of solitude out of fear? Coward. I never pegged you as being so weak. You were always bitter, intelligent to some degree, dense about women, and perhaps a bit too cold but never so weak. Fine…wallow in your own misery. Desire her and watch her from afar…just do not say I didn't warn you when it causes her pain. Psh...weak and cowardly…letting a woman suffer because you are afraid to take a leap of faith. **_

Chaos thought him a coward. Yet again, ironically, how right the demon was. Only a coward would let Yuffie suffer. He had heard her clearly in the cavern when she said she was in love with him. Her reckless act of climbing the cliff, without even a guarantee he would be there, served to confirm it. The pictures in her room, the way she talked in her sleep about him, and the way she had looked at him when he pulled her to safety were all assurances that her words had not been spoken falsely. Any fool could have seen it. The fact that it took so long for him to realize that she truly was in love with him bothered Vincent greatly. Yuffie Kisaragi was obviously in love with him, and it was a realization that frightened Vincent Valentine.

Chaos seemed to think Yuffie would be miserable without him. The forlorn expression that she now wore was proving the demon's theories. All the times he had put her in danger and all the times she had been hurt because of him however served to prove his own theory that Yuffie would be miserable with him. _What now? Damned if you do, damned if you don't…_ He did not wish Yuffie to be in such a predicament.

Finally, Yuffie reached the safety of Wutai. He followed closely, always silently, and always in the shadows. She did not return to her home as he expected, but rather, walked to one of the bridges over the rivers that flowed through Wutai toward the ocean. Wutai's spring festival would be upon the town soon. He had noticed people decorating the town during the day, some stringing up beautiful paper lanterns throughout the city, others arranging flowers throughout the city. The bridges had been given special attention.

The lanterns that lit the bridge cast a warm glow around it, making the flowers that had been woven in strings along the bridge's rails look almost ethereal. The hints of pale pink blossoms made the bridge look like a strange sleeping beast with pale scales. Yuffie stood there, at the center of the bridge, staring down at the flowing water. The light caught a faint glimmer on her cheek. A tear…

Vincent cursed silently to himself. Above all things, he hated seeing a woman cry. It was particularly hard to watch this time, since he knew the cause of her tears was he, Vincent Valentine, and none other. _I should have left last night once she was in bed. None of this would be happening…_ He watched and waited. Yuffie spoke only in her native tongue, words he could not remember or understand, regardless of this however, he knew her words to be sad. _Why did I flee when she saw me? Why did I run when she reached out to me? Why am I so afraid of letting her get close to me?_ Why? Why? Well it was simple..._ I don't want to hurt her, I don't want to let her down, and if I do not get involved with her I can do neither._ This was twisted logic, according to Chaos. Denying Yuffie what she desired was, according to the demon, causing Yuffie just as much pain as anything Vincent could do to harm her. To Vincent, that was twisted logic.

Twisted…logic…that's exactly what it was. What else could it be? However the glimmer of the tear that fell from Yuffie's eyes made it seem like pure, simple, logic. The tear made Chaos's theory valid. He was causing her pain…which was one of the very things he wished never to do. It was irritating, agreeing with Chaos so much in a single day! If he left now he would have to return. Simply watching her was filling the void within him, being near was healing old wounds, and hearing her voice was allaying the darkness within him. _I can't let this happen...I can't fall in love with her. _

**_Can't…or won't?_**

_Both! _Vincent tore his gaze away from Yuffie. What would the others think of such a thing? Could he even tell them? What would they think of him if he did tell them? Yuffie had left the bridge and began walking to her home, at which point Vincent followed slowly behind. He would contemplate his next move tonight as she slept. He would watch her sleep as he had the previous night and think…think of who to turn to for advice.

**_What advice could a mortal possibly give you that I could not?_**

_Advice that makes sense has no underlying ulterior motive, and that comes from the heart. Forgive me for saying this Chaos, but I believe that even Cid would give better advice than you._ Vincent thought slipping into the house when again, Yuffie failed to completely shut her door. Chaos, much to Vincent's satisfaction, remained silent. Vincent moved swiftly into the darkest recesses of the room. He was grateful for the lack of light in the large room, for had there been more, Yuffie would certainly have noticed him.

This time when Yuffie shed her garments, he did not avert his eyes. He watched as a dark longing to reach out and pull her against him crept across his mind and his heart. Thoughts he knew he ought not to be thinking plagued his mind. How odd it was, he mused, that a girl so young and innocent could make him think things even the alluring Lucrecia had been unable to make him think. _Odd...and completely improper…I should not be feeling this way, I should not desire her in such a way. This is…completely unlike me…_

Unlike him?? When he thought about it, it was very much like him. After all, weren't such feelings part of the normal life he so desperately craved? His thoughts scattered when he saw her blow out the candle behind the paper lantern that lit her room. He watched her sit on her bed and gaze out the window. He found himself struggling to ignore that the only things covering her body were the bra and panties she was wearing. A feat that was much easier with Chaos being…eerily silent….Perhaps the demon was just as stunned by her beauty as he was. Why had he never noticed how beautiful she was before?? They had traveled together for so long, they had fought together, they were closer to each other than they were to any other members of AVALANCE. How had he failed to notice?

**_That's what happens when you fight your desires and constantly make excuses like "she's too young" or "she is my friend" or-_**

_….Chaos…please just be silent. Pester me how ever you wish in the morning but for now…just be silent._ Vincent thought watching Yuffie lay down slowly. She fell asleep quickly sprawled across her bed, tangled in her covers, and pillow over her face. A sight that made him smile. He went over to her bedside and gently lifted her in his arms, being ever so careful not to wake her. The warmth of her body made his mind go blank. In her peaceful sleep she snuggled closer to him and his breath caught in his throat. Vincent found himself almost unwilling to place her back in her bed.

He carefully held her against his body while drawing back her blanket and replacing her pillow. Hesitantly, and almost completely unwillingly, he laid her down in her bed and covered her with the blanket. Vincent sat back, out of the moon's pale light, once again obscured by the shadows of the room, and watched her. He watched the even rise and fall of her chest as she breathed slowly in her deep, peaceful sleep. Watching he made his decision. He would leave in the morning and find Cid Highwind. Cid was the only one married and easily the closest in age to him. Cid would hopefully have some good advice…

_…Hopefully…_


	4. Amor Consilium I

**Silent Angel**

Author: Spellspinner Vincent Valentine

Rating: M – for Cid's language mostly…and possible scenarios in later chapters…

Pairing: Vincent/Yuffie _post DoC_

**Warnings: **_Romance/Angst (nothing too serious)_. If you don't like the pairing please just don't read. I have a very good counter flamer willing to help me so no flames… consider yourself warned.

AN: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. You guys really help motivate me to keep writing. And thank you Cyllwen for helping me with the chapter name. I feel like I used up all my good ones heh.

Note: Italics are the thoughts of people; bold italics are the thoughts of Chaos.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except this fanfic and the odd idea I had behind it. Vincent and Yuffie are not mine nor are the other Final Fantasy characters. Vincent, Yuffie, and all the Final Fantasy VII characters are the property of their respective owners.

Amor Consilium – Love Advice much thanks to you Cyllwen.

Please read, review, and enjoy.

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Chapter 4

Amor Consilium I

The dawn came, entirely too soon in Vincent's opinion. If he could force the sun back into darkness, he would have. He could not linger once Yuffie began to stir and yet, watching her sleep all night, so peacefully, made him completely unwilling to leave. _But I have to…I can not stay. I am going to go mad if I do. _So, once the distant ocean began to sparkle with the first rays of sunlight, Vincent bent down and whispered, "…I will return…I promise…" in Yuffie's ear before turning and exiting through the window. Her hurried to where Shiryu was tethered, hidden completely from sight, and quickly mounted the chocobo. His chocobo was one of the most intelligent ever bred at the ranch, so when Vincent leaned forward and muttered, "Rocket Town." he simply sat back, grasped the reins, it was no surprise when Shiryu took off at top speed toward Rocket Town. He was grateful he had managed to get Shiryu as his own personal chocobo. Having such an intelligent companion made travel faster and to be honest, a bit more enjoyable.

The only problem now would be talking to Cid about all this, without blowing his cover. Cid was after all, a bit like an obnoxious uncle to Yuffie. No matter how often he called her a brat or a little punk, Cid worried about Yuffie like a father would worry about his daughter or an uncle his niece. How on earth would tell Cid that he could very well be in love with a girl more than twenty years younger than him? _What would he think of me? _

_**He'd think you had problems…but that is nothing new.**_

Vincent sighed. He had said Chaos was free to do as he pleased in the morning. _I do have problems. Yuffie is only twenty years old. I am-_

**_Did I not already tell you? Your age has little to do with this. Women younger than her have-_**

_I know, I know, have married men older than me._

_**What will you tell the mortal?**_

_I have no idea…_What would he tell Cid? If Cid drank enough he might not notice who they were talking about. Vincent shook his head slightly. _It would be a sad state of affairs if I had to get a good friend drunk just to fell comfortable telling him something. _If Cid asked anything about the woman who now held Vincent's heart, he would simply answer vaguely. That would be expected of him after all. Vague words and short simple answers would do the trick.

_**You really seem to think this will go well…**_

_One can only hope Chaos._ Vincent's eyes narrowed slightly against the heavy mist of the sea. Such mists where common in the mornings around the Rocket area. Or so he had heard from Cid. He knew by the dark shadows in the mist that he was nearing the coastline. Nearing the coast meant it was only about an hour's ride to Rocket Town. Vincent looked up at the sky through the heavy sea mist. He had departed Wutai at approximately five in the morning; it was now at least eight. Fast and reliable or not, by chocobo, crossing the sea still took a few hours. The usually five hour trip was cut down drastically by Shiryu's speed and endurance.

Twenty minutes later Shiryu stepped onto the cooler coast line of the Rocket area. The once underdeveloped area had boomed in the past year. There was a small town near the coast, mainly full of scientists, that was dedicated to studying oceanic life. Reeve had supposedly put up most of the gil for the construction of the deep sea laboratory there as well as most of the small town's ground structures. The town was high-tech somewhat like Edge, but not as cluttered, and known to be home to the top Oceanographers in the world. The town was rightfully called Oceana and the WRO was seeing to it that the town was well maintained and operated effectively.

Not to far from Oceana was another small town. It was mostly a farming town and more a village than anything else. Vincent noticed it as he passed on Shiryu. It was a small place, probably only fifty residents, but all of them worked a massive farm and provided most of the Rocket Area with its agricultural needs.

The hour passed and Rocket Town came into sight. The town had recovered well from the rocket launch and had managed to fare well when Deepground surfaced. Minimal structural damage had been done to the town, and rumor had it, it was repaired within weeks. Rocket Town was however, much larger than it had been. Like Kalm, it had grown exponentially after Meteorfall, mainly to accommodate the evacuees from Midgar.

Cid had been elected, by the entire town, as the mayor of the town. Half a year ago he had heard the news from Cid only weeks before Shelke had died. Cid was thrilled and Shelke and Yuffie pestered him to go visit Cid and Shera. Everyone showed up for Cid's inauguration speech, and not a single person was surprised by the pilot's constant cursing. Cid would always be Cid, no sense trying to change that fact. Cloud had said something along those lines while laughing at the pilot. Tifa had shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Vincent couldn't help but smile slightly. Rocket Town brought back a few good and if nothing else, interesting, memories. He decided to stop in at a small restaurant to eat before going to see Cid. From what he could recall, Cid was never up before noon, even when Yuffie threw materia at him or doodled on his face with shaving cream. Having the time to kill, Vincent ordered breakfast, something he hadn't done in a long time. Eating would probably ease his nerves a bit. He listened to the news on the television as he ate. The WRO had managed to locate an underwater cavern of condensed, crystallized mako, possibly the largest site ever discovered. _Yuffie would be thrilled to hear that…_ The WRO reported that the site would be mined (not in its entirety) due to the high quality and quantity of curative materia located in the cavern. According to the report a few sick divers had been cured of their ailments on contact with the powerful materia pieces they researched at the deep sea research center.

_Finally, some good news in the world…_ He thought listening to some strange story about undersea ruins located by the WRO. Reeve was ordering an investigation of the ruins, believed to be built by the Cetra. "The more we know about the planet, the more we can do to keep it safe." He heard Reeve say in the interview. "Knowing more about the past will help us shape a better future." Vincent smirked slightly and took a sip of his tea. Reeve was turning into quite the world leader and he always seemed to have his heart in the right place. _He's right though…the more we know the more we can do. Knowing the past, learning from it, and accepting it, will undoubtedly help us created a better future…_

Vincent remained at the restaurant, ignoring the strange stares he often received, the whispers of young girls, and the occasional "thank you for saving the world" he would get from the older patrons while waiting for the time to pass. When the time neared noon Vincent started to get up only to be slightly startled by the sound of the door being flung open.

"The hell is this I been hearin'!?" Vincent recognized the voice at once. "Someone told me Vincent friggin' Valentine was in my fuckin' town." Vincent sighed slightly. Word traveled fast…

Cid stood there looking around the restaurant, obviously not noticing Vincent as quickly as he would have liked to. Vincent was seated out of sight, in a corner. _Which is exactly where I would look for myself…_Vincent mused as Cid walked around the restaurant a few times before noticing him.

"Hey Vince, long damn time no see!" Cid said sitting down across from Vincent. "So where the hell've you been these past six months. We all went and looked for ya. We couldn't find a damn trace of you though."

"I needed some time to myself. Cid…you can not tell anyone I was here. I don't want anyone knowing where I am." Vincent said softly.

"Why the hell not? Yuffie's been worried fuckin' sick about ya. Tifa and Cloud been worried 'bout ya too. Why don't ya want 'em to know where the fuck you've been?"

"Cid...must you use such language?"

Cid snorted. "Hell Vince, you know I only watch my damn mouth 'round Shera and Yuffie. And I only mind it around Yuffie cuz I heard she was starting to sound too damn much like me."

_Of course…Cid is Cid...he'll never change. No sense trying to make him change. _"…It wouldn't surprise me if she was…" Vincent said trying to sound nonchalant, luckily for him, such was his nature and Cid suspected nothing.

_Vincent was always like this_, Cid thought so he was not completely surprised when Vincent had asked him not to tell anyone that he was there. Vincent took a few minutes before finally saying that he simply did not wish to cause problems for anyone. That he felt it better to just stay away for a while. Cid sighed. _Yeah…but everyone's been damned worried about ya. Ah well, least we know you're alive. Guess I can't tell a damn soul though. _"So I doubt you dragged your ass all the way out here just to say hello." Cid said lighting a cigarette. "Why ya here Vince?"

"I needed to talk to someone about…something." Vincent began. "Cid…you know how unlike me it is…to get close to someone."

"Damn straight it's unlike you. Hell for a while I was certain you hated everyone and everything." Cid muttered staring Vincent in the eye, trying his hardest to read the enigmatic man. Vincent however, was almost impossible to read. He was good at keeping himself guarded. Not many people knew what to think of Vincent Valentine.

"Cid…I'm going to be blunt." Vincent said lowering his gaze slightly. He was certain Cid wouldn't believe him.

"Eh…alright…" Cid said shifting slightly in his seat. Vincent was always blunt of course, yet Cid felt unnerved. _Something bout the way Vince said that…_

"…I think I'm falling for someone."

"Falling for- What the hell did you just say!?" Cid practically yelled. Vincent!? Falling for someone??? Now THAT was news.

"I said I think I-"

"I heard ya the first time damnit!" Cid said staring at Vincent with an incredulous look. "Seriously???"

"Yes…" Vincent said meeting Cid's gaze. The blonde pilot obviously did not believe him.

"…Then why the hell you makin' it sound like a bad thing?" Cid asked. It confused him, that Vincent would finally have some damn good news for a change and make it sound like it was the crime of the friggin century!

"It is a bad thing." Vincent answered darkly. _It's the worst possible thing…I shouldn't have any feelings for her. I shouldn't feel this way and I sure as hell should not WANT to feel this way._

Cid leaned back in his seat and kicked his feet up onto the table, much to the displeasure of the restaurant's owner. "Now why's that? What could possibly be so dammed bad about it?"

"Everything." Vincent muttered. _Absolutely everything is bad about this…I'm too old for Yuffie, she could find someone so much better, I would do nothing but ruin her…_

"Hey!! Earth to friggin Vincent Valentine!" Cid was yelling. "I said tell me about this girl."

Vincent snapped out of his dark thoughts and stared at Cid. _Tell him about her?_ "What do you want to know?"

"The usual Vince." This obviously was not ringing any bells with Vincent. "Alright let's keep it simple. What does she look like?"

"…Dark hair, grey eyes, about up to my shoulders." All he had to do was keep it simple and vague. It was true though. Yuffie had dark hair and grey eyes, and she had indeed gotten taller.

"Yeah…and what else?" Cid said staring Vincent dead in the eye.

"What else?" Vincent asked raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Yeah you know…what else."

Vincent tilted his head slightly and sighed. "I'm not going to give you her measurements Cid."

Cid stared at Vincent and resisted the urge to laugh. This girl's measurements weren't what he wanted to hear about. The mere fact that Vincent assumed that was hilarious to Cid. Vincent wasn't the type to jump to conclusions and he certainly wasn't the type to take notice of a woman's measurements. Cid shook his head slightly while trying to contain his laughter. Even when Vincent was drunk he wasn't the type to do that. He, Barret, and Cloud were another story, but Vincent was…Vincent. "That ain't what I meant."

"What did you mean?" Vincent said relaxing a bit. For a moment, he had been truly concerned that Cid would seriously make him confess Yuffie's measurements. _Which of course I do not know…even though I could venture a guess…_

"I meant what is she like? Tell me what the hell you like about this damn girl." Cid smiled slightly. "Gotta admit, I'm damn curious about what kinda girl dragged you outta your shell enough to even come talk to me. "

"What do I like about her?" Vincent thought. What did he like…no…love about Yuffie? "…Everything. The way she smiles when no one else does, the way she laughs, the way her eyes light up when something captures her attention, the way she speaks…Cid I could go on for days."

"Yeah sounds like someone's got himself a crush."

"Cid…I think I'm in love with this woman." Vincent said before he could stop himself. _In love…would that be such a bad thing?_

"In love eh? Then why the hell you sound so bent outta shape about it?" Cid could not for the life of him, figure out why Vincent would be so damn upset about being in love. Of course the guy had a…not so pleasant experience with love…but still, it was the greatest thing that could happen to a person. Vincent had a chance of a lifetime, and if this girl was as great as Vincent made her sound, a little leap of faith would be worth it on his part.

"She is very young…"

"Vince most women that I wouldn't smack you for liking, are gonna be a hell of a lot younger than you." Cid said before calling to a waitress for tea. "With honey and lemon!!!" He yelled after the woman who, was apparently very used Cid, for when she promptly returned with his tea she informed him that she wouldn't forget his 'damn honey and lemon'. "I mean think bout it Vince. Most women likely to attract your attention are gonna be young."

"Not this young…"

"Is she legal?" Cid asked sipping his tea.

"Yes but-"

"But nothing." Cid said setting his tea down and staring Vincent in the eye again. "Look Vincent, how much do ya like this girl?"

How much did he like Yuffie? …_I'd die for her..._ Vincent looked at Cid. "Too much…"

"Ya love her?"

"I said I think so." Vincent looked down as he spoke. Love…the one emotion he was deathly afraid of dragging back into his life. _Dragging? It snuck back on its own…_

"You ain't told this girl a damn thing have ya?"

"Nothing at all…"

Cid snorted. _Typical…_ "Well, I ain't no damn genius when it comes to women, but they don't wait around forever. Make a move while you can. You might regret it if ya don't."

Vincent looked at Cid. Regret it? _Regret not trying? _Would he really regret it? _Of course I would…_ If he didn't try, the one he desired might slip away. _If I don't try…she might move on…_ "What if…I am unsure of what I truly desire?"

"Meanin'?" Cid spoke into his tea cup and kept his eyes on Vincent.

"What if I am not certain what I want? Part of me wants her to move on. It keeps telling me she could do better; she could find someone more worthy of her. Another part of me though, tells me I am crazy for wanting her to find another and that allowing her to do so would drive me mad. I don't know what to think…I don't know what to do."

"Vince you do realize you came to the wrong person for love advice?" Cid chuckled slightly. "Hell I say just go for it. You'd be amazed how much a little leap of faith can get ya."

A little leap of faith…it was more than a 'little' leap for Vincent. _More like a leap and plummet…_

_**You are far too negative.**_

_I am simply trying to put it into perspective. What would be a little leap of faith for a normal person...is going to be a leap and a plummet for me. I am simply not that lucky Chaos. _

"…So how long you gonna be stickin' round here Vince?" Cid said loudly drawing Vincent away from his thoughts.

"Not much longer. I just needed a bit of advice…" Vincent said quietly while standing. "I appreciate what advice you've given…"

"Huh? Don't tell me you actually got something outta talking to me…" Cid joked lightly. "I told ya Vince, I ain't the best person to go to for relationship advice. Hell no one in their fuckin' right mind would come to me for love advice."

Vincent smirked slightly beneath his cloak. "I never said I was in my right mind, Cid…" _I can not be in my right mind…not if I really plan to do this…_

"Yeah well…you take care Vince. Don't worry I won't tell anyone you were here...Try to get in touch with the others soon, especially Yuffie. That girl hasn't quit searching for ya yet. Man, you'd think the girl was in love with ya or something."

Vincent controlled his body expertly, not letting even the faintest traces of tension show. Cid had not heard Yuffie's confession in the cavern. He did not know that Yuffie's words were still eating at Vincent, driving him a bit insane. He could hear her voice echoing like the fragments of a song one learns in youth and tries not to forget. She loved him…him…_ Me…_ "I doubt such…" Vincent answered before throwing a glance at Cid. "It was good to see you Cid…"

Cid Highwind watched as Vincent left the restaurant. "…Good to see you too Vince…" _Good to know you're still alive at least._

Within the quarter hour, Vincent was on his way back to Wutai. Somehow he would have to confront every obstacle that stood in his path. He would need to accept their age difference among other things. Chaos had taken it upon himself to work Vincent through each little problem. First and foremost…Age Difference…**_Which is really not that great…You are what thirty? She is twenty. Ten years._**

…_I think you are skipping the other thirty years…_

_**They hardly count…you locked yourself in a coffin in the cellar of a ruined manor. Most would compare that to suspended animation.**_

…_Chaos…_

_**Yes?**_

_Fine...not counting the thirty years I spent in the coffin. Ten years is not that bad…_

Then there was the issue of emotions. Vincent didn't open up to many people and his past constantly brought darkness into his life and heart. It would do the same for others…

_**You need to take this to heart. Shed what remains of the past and begin anew.**_

_Easier said than done…_

The return journey to Wutai was spent in such a way. Arguing with Chaos until, inevitably, Chaos won out most of the time. Vincent was annoyed by the fact that so much would have to change. _I should not be afraid of change…so why am I frightened of what these changes will bring about?_

Cid's advice had been much more useful than Chaos' advice. Cid said to just go for it. Just try. Chaos said to shed the remains of the past and begin anew. For now, trying to shed the remains of a dark past would have to be enough. For now, trying to begin anew would just have to be good enough.

Arriving in the Wutai area was more difficult than normal. Yuffie was again training on the coastline, making approach a bit difficult. She could see the entire sea, and Vincent knew if he kept on his route, eventually she would spot him. He forced Shiryu north to go around the island. Despite deciding to do something about what could be, Vincent was not ready to take his 'leap and plummet'…_at least not yet…_

It would take until sunset before Vincent was able to slip into Wutai unseen. He managed to slip into Yuffie's home again, completely unnoticed, or at least he thought so.

Yuffie was heading downstairs when she suddenly turned and threw several kunai at him. He was unable to dodge them all and found himself pinned to her wall. _Awkward…but not at all unpleasant…_he thought before looking up to meet Yuffie's stormy gaze. Her eyes were wide with shock, but behind her shocked expression he saw a glowing smile, smirk, perhaps even a grin in her eyes.

"Vincent?" She said softly stepping toward him. "Ok…you aren't going to vanish on me if I step closer are you??"

Vincent shook his head slightly. "No Yuffie…I won't." The blush that painted the young ninja's cheeks almost made him smile. There was something quite satisfying in the knowledge that merely speaking could make her blush. _I shouldn't be thinking like that…_

Yuffie stared at Vincent, unable to keep the blush out of her cheeks. There was something about Vincent's voice that had always driven her insane. The way he talked, the deep sound of his voice, and the way his eyes seemed to glow when he spoke sent shivers through her entire body. It took everything she had to not squeal when he talked. Yuffie had taught herself to control herself when it became quite obvious that her squeals only came after Vincent's very few and occasional words. Now though, with no one else around, she didn't try to hide the blush in her cheeks or the slight shivers running up her spine.

Slowly she stepped closer to him. Too many thoughts ran through her restless mind, and not a single one was 'decent'. Many of her thoughts involved Vincent, with significantly less clothing on. Her favorite being all the things she could do to him while he was pinned to her wall. _I really thought he'd be able to dodge all those…_

She moved closer and Vincent watched her, almost wishing she would step back. He had been able to accept that Yuffie was one of his darker desires. One he refused to do without. Telling her such a thing however, required careful planning. He wanted to do things right this time. Even if she already loved him, Vincent wanted Yuffie to feel the magic she made him feel.

_If I ever owed her anything more than my life…I owe her the wonder and magic a person experiences when they are being courted._ It was a deep and powerful magic, love. It was delicate and strong, it was wild and tame, it was dark and bright…_and so help me, I will make it the most wonderful emotion she will ever experience. _

Yuffie stopped before him. There was something about the look in his eyes. It was fiery, wild, and it sent more chills through Yuffie's body. _Men shouldn't be allowed to have eyes like that!!!! Men shouldn't be allowed to have those damn soul piercing eyes!!!_ Oh, but how she loved those eyes. She was closer than Vincent normally would have been comfortable with, close enough to feel the warmth of his body and his warm breath. If she were bolder like Aerith had been, she would have kissed him, but something held her back.

Fear…She feared that he would run again. She feared that his heart was still held captive by a woman long dead. Above all however, Yuffie feared her own dark desires for the man before her. To love him seemed almost forbidden by the gods. He was such a wonderful man, dark past or not. He could have any woman he desired, and Yuffie feared that she would simply never be good enough for the man who haunted her dreams and held her heart captive.

She leaned toward him, unsure of what she was doing and almost completely unable to stop herself. Only when she was close enough to feel the pounding of his heart did she pull away. _Oh gawd…I almost kissed Vincent!!!_ He stared at her silently, his eyes delving deeply into her very soul. She could feel it. He knew what she had almost done and why…and the fact that he knew frightened her.

"Don't go anywhere ok?" She whispered, a hint of panic surfaced in her normally confident voice.

Vincent tilted his head slightly and watched as Yuffie turned from him and ran from her home. When the door slammed shut he sighed softly. "Well that didn't exactly go as planned…" he muttered to himself.

Vincent stared longingly at the door, wishing for her to come bounding back in, full of confidence and cheer. As Vincent did so, Yuffie made her way to Da Chao. She was pulling out her phone and dialing as quickly as possible. She needed to talk to someone who would understand.

If Aerith had not died, that would have been Yuffie's first call. She stared at the number she had dialed. _Tifa…You better have some damn good advice for me._


	5. Amor Consilium II

**Silent Angel**

Author: Spellspinner Vincent Valentine

Rating: M – for Cid's language mostly…and possible scenarios in later chapters…

Pairing: Vincent/Yuffie _post DoC_

**Warnings: **_Romance/Angst (nothing too serious)_. If you don't like the pairing please just don't read. I have a very good counter flamer willing to help me so no flames (I'm quite proud to say I have yet to receive a flame!) … consider yourself warned.

AN: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. You guys really help motivate me to keep writing. And thank you again Cyllwen for helping me with the chapter name. Sorry the chapter isn't too long; writers block has kept me down, sorry also about the wait.

Note: Italics are the thoughts of people; bold italics are the thoughts of Chaos.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except this fanfic and the odd idea I had behind it. Vincent and Yuffie are not mine nor are the other Final Fantasy characters. Vincent, Yuffie, and all the Final Fantasy VII characters are the property of their respective owners.

Please read, review, enjoy, and again…so sorry about the wait.

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Chapter 5

Amor Consilium II

Yuffie ran as fast as she could through the woods surrounding Wutai. Vincent was in her house…Vincent Valentine was really there. After all the mental talk of wanting to see him, wanting to just confess, she now found herself climbing Da Chao in a frenzied attempt to get away from him.

He said he wouldn't run. Staring at Tifa's number on her phone, she would simply have to believe he would be there when she returned. Until then…she needed advice. _Lots of it!!!! Argh I left him pinned to my wall!!!_ Yuffie glanced back toward Wutai, debating whether to return to help Vincent off her wall, or to simply leave him there. _Let him stay there! It's not like he's hurt…_ She thought climbing the beaten path she and many others before her had carved into the cliffs leading up the statue.

When she reached the top she sat down and looked down at her phone. Tifa's name and number shown brightly in the darkness like a small star alight in the dark heavens. What would she say? How would she word it?? It was not as though she could simply call Tifa and say 'I have a crush on Vincent. What should I do?'

Yuffie groaned at the mere thought and swore in Wutainese. _Yeah they'll all think I'm a freak if I tell them I'm in love with Vincent…psh…It would be just as bad if by some freak chance he told one of them he was in love with me. They'd say he was robbing the cradle or something. _She sighed in frustration while considering how to tell Tifa she was in love. _Yeah and if I tell one of them they'll tell me it's pointless because he loves Lucrecia, and worse they'd probably say I was robbing the grave…_

Yuffie found herself snorting slightly with laughter. 'Robbing the grave' was a funny and even ironic euphemism when she thought about it. Vincent had to be at least sixty years old, and when AVALANCHE found him, he had been in a coffin. _A nice way of saying he's too old and a bit weird for me..._

Not that Yuffie cared in the least, Vincent was a mystery to all around him, and she loved mysteries. She loved the darkness in him as much as she loved his light. She loved his frown as much as his rare, half-hearted smiles. She loved the fact that he was a genius (She made him take an IQ test to prove it.) and that he still could be the densest man alive. Even though Vincent was a challenge, she loved trying to pry her way into the depths of his heart. She greatly enjoyed trying to make him remember what happiness was, and for a while, she had been succeeding.

Then Vincent just vanished right after Shelke died. All her hard work seemed to have been for naught. But now, Vincent was back, and he was in Wutai. Not only in Wutai, but pinned to the wall of her house! It was like being given another chance to break down the walls around his heart. So naturally, as luck would have it, she was terrified of doing so.

She stared at her phone trying desperately to awaken whatever part of her brain controlled telekinesis, so that she wouldn't physically have to hit the send button and admit she needed advice. Finally, once she conceded the fact that she was not going to evolve in a split second, she hit the send button and waited.

It rang. Once, twice, three times, four times, then…

"Hello?" Tifa's voice sounded exhausted, and Yuffie realized, she probably should not have called so late.

"Tifa? Hey…It's Yuffie. How are you?"

"I've been better…" Tifa grumbled. Yuffie could hear things moving in the background. "Yuffie do you have any idea what time it is???"

"Late?" Yuffie said sheepishly.

"Very late...Are you alright? You never call anyone unless it's an emergency or you found a new materia no one has ever seen before."

Yuffie looked down at Wutai from her spot on top of Da Chao. _Yeah… the love of my life is pinned to the wall of my house…I'm great!_ "….I needed advice. Love advice…"

Hundreds of miles away Tifa sat up in bed and tilted her head slightly, she was almost certain she had been hearing things. Yuffie was…asking for…love advice??? "Love advice?"

"Yeah…um…see, there's this guy I really care about. Hell, I'd go as far as to say I would die for him. I want to tell him but…I can't…Unless I know he's nowhere near. I mean it is one thing to talk to dead air and say you are in love with someone." She paused and sighed in frustration. "It's a hell of a lot harder to say it to their face though."

"…I know what you mean." Tifa glanced at her side. Cloud could sleep through anything… "I know exactly what you mean."

"So…since you know…can you tell me what I should do???" Yuffie tried not to sound too hopeful. Her situation was NOTHING like Tifa's.

"Well," Tifa started getting out of bed and heading for the stairs of their home in Edge, "tell me about this guy…It would help if I had some understanding of why you are afraid to tell him how you feel."

There it was. The one thing Yuffie could not do. _Tell you about him?! Damnit Tifa! You couldn't just give me an answer?! _"He's…different. He just came to Wutai a while ago; he's a bit like Vincent in the tall, dark, and serious departments." So far, so good…she wasn't lying completely. Vincent had just come to Wutai a while ago, he certainly was different, and he was exactly like himself in the tall, dark, and serious departments. _…Any minute now she's going to say "Yuffie? Is it Vincent?"_

"Yuffie…"

Here it was! It was coming. Yuffie mentally prepped herself to admit the truth…

"How much like Vincent is this guy? If he's too much like Vincent…I'd tell you to quit while you are ahead." Tifa said with a slight yawn. "Well…don't quit on the guy…but don't set yourself up for heartbreak. Guys who are anything like Vincent are hard to work with. I mean, you can't help someone who won't let you right? So it's hard to get someone to open up, especially if they don't want to."

Yuffie sighed softly in relief. "Yeah I know. I've been trying to get this guy to come out of his shell for a while now." _Years…I've been trying for years and I don't know how much longer I can keep it up. I don't even know if I want to keep trying. I don't know if it will be worth it. What if he doesn't give a damn about me I mean…what if he couldn't care less? What point would there be in me wasting my time on him if he doesn't care?_

"Well then don't give up. Yuffie, if anyone can do it, you can." Tifa said quietly. Yuffie could almost picture the smile she knew was on Tifa's face. "I have faith in you."

Yuffie smiled. Not her usual happy-go-lucky, mischievous grin, just a small smile. _At least you believe I can do this…because I'm almost certain I'm gonna fail…_

"So eh…your advice is to just…do it?" Yuffie said staring down at Wutai. It was really a desperate attempt to extend the conversation, something to keep her from being face to face with the subject of their conversation.

"Yeah, go for it. Just, pretend he's not there when you tell him. Pretend you are talking to one of your cats or to a dark empty room. Especially if that's how you are comfortable."

"You make it sound so easy…" Yuffie muttered. _She makes it sound way too easy…I mean…my situation doesn't compare with hers. Mine is so much worse! I mean, sure it was hard for her to tell Cloud, but come on. When it comes down to who is more complicated Vincent takes the cake. Cloud had minor attachments to the past…Vincent has major ones._

"It's not easy…but sometimes it's the only way to move on if it's not meant to be, and the only way to make it work if it is."

Yuffie nodded once. Tifa was right. It would be the only way to move on if it was not meant to be, and the only way to find out if it was meant to be. If it was meant to be…she would give it everything she had to make it work. "Hey Tifa, thanks. I'll call and let you know how it goes." Yuffie said quickly ending the call. She rose from her position and looked down upon the faint lights of Wutai before turning her gaze to the stars above her. "Hey mom?? How about lending me some of that fearless nature dad told me about?"

After moments of silence Yuffie smiled and shrugged. "Eh I figured it was worth a shot..."

When she finally descended from Da Chao she realized that she had been gone over an hour. Vincent, if he was even still there, was still pinned to her wall…"OH GAWD!!!!!!!! I'M AN IDIOT!!!!" She yelled running through the streets. How she managed to forget that Vincent wasn't just sitting around relaxing, but rather, was left pinned to her wall…well she just couldn't figure. _I must be out of my mind! I left Vincent pinned to the freaking wall!!!! How the hell does someone forget…THAT…pinned to the wall of their house?!_

She ran across the bridges, through the streets, and up the stairs. Her footsteps behind her seemed to thunder almost as loudly as her heart in her chest. All that separated her secret love and her greatest fear was the door of her home and her hesitant hand. _All I have to do is take a deep breath…and push the door open. Come on Yuffie!!! Anyone else could do this. You are not a sissy! Open the damn door march over to the bastard and tell him you…nah that might be too forward of me…eh…_ Yuffie crossed her arms and stared at her door while thinking of the best approach. She wished to be cautious, after all, it would be sad if she had somehow managed to attract Vincent and managed to end it just by acting the wrong way. _Ok…so maybe I should…nah cute and innocent only worked for Aerith…and she wasn't as innocent as she made her self out to be…darn clever actually…Tifa's tough girl approach won't do me much good and everyone says I'm too childish…so my fake whining wouldn't work._ Beyond all that, she considered that Vincent was great at reading people. He would know, no matter what she did, that it was an act.

She reached out threw the door open and went inside grinning in her old way. "Hi Vincent…miss me????" She turned to the wall where he had been pinned to find him still pinned to the wall. He hadn't moved at all not in the least. Yuffie blinked a few times and put her hands on her hips. "What the hell are you still doing pinned to the wall????"

"You told me not to move." He said simply pulling the kunai from the wall and his clothes. There were only slight tears in his clothes, it was repairable he noted to himself. "So I waited for you to return…"

Yuffie tried not to laugh. "You didn't have to take me that seriously you know. I meant just stay in the house like…you know…don't go running off to creepy caves with glowing crystals and dead women inside them?"

Vincent nodded slightly. For some reason it was always more humorous when Yuffie did exactly as she was told than when anyone else did exactly as they were told.

The silence between them grew. Neither spoke, nor did they appear to draw breath. It was in the silence that Yuffie began to laugh hysterically.

Vincent lifted his gaze from somewhere around Yuffie's feet, to her face. "Yuffie…are you….alright?"

She was laughing so hard there were tears in her eyes. Her arms were wrapped around her slender form and she appeared to be shaking with her laughing fit. "You..." she managed to cough out between long stretches of laughter. "You look so goddamn serious all the time. Even when there's no reason to be you're the most serious person in existence!" Yuffie laughed until her legs would not longer support her and she began to collapse.

Vincent moved swiftly to catch her. When Yuffie fell, she always managed to get hurt. He thought in the second in which he caught her, that perhaps he had taken hold of her too firmly or perhaps that they were too close for Yuffie's comfort, for when he caught her and pulled her close to his body to help support her, she stopped laughing and looked up at him with the strangest look in her eyes.

It was like drowning in the murky depths of a storm ridden sea. He found that for a moment his breath was stolen from him when he met her intense gaze. Intense was never a word to describe Yuffie's eyes, and yet now there was simply no other way to describe the power they held over his very being.

There was a curious wonder in them, a fierce longing (which actually frightened him a bit), and even a piercing aspect to them, he felt as though she could see right through him, down into the darkest depths of his soul.

Yuffie felt weak as Vincent's strong arms held her close to him. It felt strange to be so close to him, without him flinching or looking away anyway. His eyes seemed different than ever before. There were not calm, cool, and closed, but rather open, warm, and undeniably frightened. _What is he so afraid of? It's like he thinks the world will end if he lets anyone in… _"Vincent…why do you look so….scared?"

Vincent stared at Yuffie. _Why do I look…scared?_ _Do I really look that frightened? Or is she just getting a bit more observant? _He gazed into her eyes until he could almost see his own reflection in the dim light of the room. He did indeed look a bit frightened. "…I do not know what you mean."

Yuffie then stood on her toes and grabbed Vincent's shoulders. With one swift tug she pulled him down slightly so that their faces were centimeters apart. If anything, it was obvious that only frightened Vincent more. "You look like you're about to have a heart attack. I don't think I've ever seen you look so freaked out before…Hell I don't even think seeing Lucrezia's ghost would make your eyes THIS wide. Are you alright Vince??"

"I am fine Yuffie…" Vincent answered finally releasing Yuffie, who, much to his dismay, kept a firm grip on his shoulders.

"People who are fine don't vanish without a trace for half a frigging year…and they damn well don't get freaked out because one of their friends is worried about them." She said poking him lightly in the chest. "Then again…you aren't exactly…normal."

"No…" Vincent said quietly. "I do not suppose I am."

"Um…" Yuffie was not surprised by what Vincent said; no not surprised in the least, she was surprised perhaps, by the way he said it. She had never heard him speak so honestly. _No riddles, no metaphors what the hell is up with him!? This is so not normal!! Vincent likes to be mysterious! It makes him harder to read or something like that…Why the hell did he just agree and say…THAT. He's supposed to get all pensive and look the other way while thinking dark, creepy, and morbid thoughts! _"Eh…Vinnie are you sure you're alright???"

There it was the nickname it had taken a year to break her from. 'Vinnie' drove him insane, he thought that at least 'Vince' was…tolerable.

He sighed slightly. "I'm fine Yuffie."

"There see!!" She yelled poking him again. "That's what you were supposed to do a few minutes ago! You're supposed to get annoyed with me and try your best to ignore me, and then you're supposed to sigh and tell everyone you're fine, even if you aren't. Of course that's if you say anything at all!"

Vincent looked at Yuffie in a most thoughtful manner. _She really does pay too much attention to things…_

_**And here everyone thought she only paid attention to things involving materia…she certainly fooled everyone…**_

_Yes…she certainly did…_ Vincent thought to himself not knowing how to respond to Yuffie. He had not considered that she paid such a good deal of attention to his mannerisms to notice that, as she had just stated, he would have indeed done his best to ignore her, sigh, and say he was fine, if of course, he said anything at all. "So how long did you have to watch my every move before you noticed all that?"

"Oh gawd don't even get me started on that! Damn, it must have been a year or so before I could have written "Vincent Valentine: The Meaning Behind the Silence" or some corny book to describe what all those looks, sighs, and the silence meant. Psh…don't really tell me you thought you were hard to read??"

Vincent tilted his head slightly. "The others all thought me difficult to read…"

"The other's thought if they tried you'd go all Chaos on them and bite their heads off or something." Yuffie blinked a few times and shook her head when she realized how what she said sounded. "I-I don't mean they were like afraid of you or anything Vince!!! Well they sorta were, but that's beside the point! I guess it was just that you didn't exactly…eh….um…"

"I am aware that they were frightened of me Yuffie…" _But why…why were you not?_

"I wasn't!" Yuffie said triumphantly before turning away to hide the deep crimson blush painting her cheeks. "Hehe…yeah you were weird and all but oh I dunno, I guess I always thought you were pretty cool. Anyone who could shut Cid up with a glance was cool to me. You were the only one who could do it." _And you were so…hot…There I said it! Hot!!! VERY VERY HOT! I mean I was just a stupid teenager with raging hormones and whatnot but Vincent you had to be the best looking thing…person…I had seen in years! And me, I got around a lot, and saw a lot of people…I knew hot when I saw it._ "There were _other_ things too…but I can't exactly tell you about that yet…maybe tomorrow! It's late after all…so eh…" She turned to look over her shoulder at him. "Why don't you…stay the night?"


	6. The Nightingale's Song

**Silent Angel**

Author: Spellspinner Vincent Valentine

Rating: M – for Cid's language mostly…and possible scenarios in later chapters…

Pairing: Vincent/Yuffie _post DoC_

**Warnings: **_Romance/Angst (nothing too serious)_. If you don't like the pairing please just don't read. I have a very good counter flamer willing to help me so no flames (I'm quite proud to say I have yet to receive a flame!) … consider yourself warned.

AN: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. You guys really help motivate me to keep writing. And thank you to Faraway Dawn for an idea for the chapter name.

Note: Italics are the thoughts of people; bold italics are the thoughts of Chaos.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except this fanfic and the odd idea I had behind it. Vincent and Yuffie are not mine nor are the other Final Fantasy characters. Vincent, Yuffie, and all the Final Fantasy VII characters are the property of their respective owners.

Please read, review, enjoy

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Chapter 6

The Nightingale's Song

Vincent stared at Yuffie. _Stay the night?_

_**You aren't going to turn that offer down are you???**_

_Why would you care if I did? _

_**I would have to seriously question your sanity if you did.**_

_My sanity would only be questionable due to the length of time I have had to tolerate your presence. _

_**You were mad before we got mixed up with each other…I just gave your sanity a little push toward the edge…**_

_A little push? A shove is more like it! _

Yuffie was staring at Vincent. She knew what that look meant. In no way was he about to say no, or even to say why he shouldn't. He would get that look on his face when he was thinking deeply…and when he thought deeply one of the demons that shared his form always was answering. Yuffie could almost feel it. There was only one whose aura she could feel when Vincent simply thought about something. "Lemme guess….you and Chaos are debating this???"

Vincent and Chaos were both drawn away from their spat and focused almost instantly on Yuffie.

_How could she…_

_**Oh she is impressive…she knew it was me…she must be able to sense me.**_

Yuffie smirked. "Yeah I thought so…" She began pacing around the room, and appeared to be deep in thought. "….I thought Chaos returned to the planet…"

"You and me both…" Vincent muttered.

"It's weird how that guy never seems to die huh?" Yuffie said lightheartedly. "So eh…what do you say…stay the night or not? I mean come on…it's a long way back to…wherever the hell you snuck in from. You should rest up before you head out again…" Yuffie tilted her head in a thoughtful manner. "That is of course…if you are heading out again…"

_**You know you want to…It would make her happy…**_

_You know I should not. _"I suppose…I could remain for the night."

"Really!? You will?!"

Vincent noted that, just as Chaos had predicted, Yuffie did sound quite happy about his answer. Vincent simply nodded.

"Great!!!" Yuffie yelled before running off to her small kitchen. "Oh gawd this place is a mess I am sooo not ready for company!!!" Vincent listened to what sounded like several pots and pans falling and perhaps even dishes breaking.

"….Yuffie…do you need any-"

"I DON'T NEED ANY HELP YOU MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE!" He heard her yell over the crashing, banging, and shattering of various items in the kitchen. After a few minutes of silence Yuffie stepped out of the kitchen and grinned sheepishly. "So eh…are you hungry??"

Vincent tilted his head only slightly. Truth be told, he was famished. _But I do not think it wise to…ingest anything Yuffie cooks..._ "I am fine Yuffie…" Vincent had heard the rumors around town. Women were saying that the reason Yuffie was still unwed, had little to do with her not being interested in anyone and more to do with her cooking skills. One woman was quite vehement about an incident in which Yuffie apparently managed to burn chocolate chip cookies and put them on buns, trying to pass them off as burgers.

Unfortunately, at that very moment his stomach betrayed him with a low growl. "Oh yeah…that was totally the sound of a full stomach…" Yuffie said laughing and heading into the kitchen. "I'll make you something!!!"

…_**You really should give the girl more credit Valentine…She's not as bad as the locals believe. Simply because she has not conformed the Wutai's ideas of a woman's position in the home they say she can not do things right…Unless your senses are mistaking…whatever she is making smells quite good.**_

Vincent looked toward the kitchen and it did indeed smell quite good. He could see into the kitchen a ways, she was making some sort of chicken, but it did not have the aroma associated with the typical dishes served in Wutai. It had a simple herbal smell that quickly filled the house. It reminded him of someone…

…_My father…he used to make something like that…I always burned it…_ It had been a long time since his father's death and he had always respected his father. He was an intelligent man and it was his father who had raised him since his mother's death. Being reminded of his father would have made him smile if he did not insist on fighting the expression.

Yuffie seemed to be, from what he could see, an excellent cook. She was not burning things, she was not breaking things, and with a slight shove of her wrist she flipped the chicken she was cooking in the skillet without missing a single piece of meat. Soon Yuffie was poking her head out of the kitchen with a slight grin, and announced that her "masterpiece" was completed.

Dinner in fact, did turn out to be a masterpiece. Not a single thing burnt and the food was prepared just as it should be. _How did she come across this recipe?_ He couldn't help but wonder. "I am impressed…the women of your town are under the impression that you can not cook…"

Yuffie took no offense to the information, rather, she was laughing. "Oh gawd, do they REALLY believe I did that?! I just made that up so none of them would beg my old man to make me marry their sons! Wow I didn't really think any of them bought it!"

_She…made it up?_ "You…made up that story?"

Yuffie smirked and nodded before narrowing her eyes in a feigned look of annoyance. "What? You didn't really think I would be stupid enough to burn cookies and try to pass them off as burgers do you? Come on Vincent, I thought you were smarter than that…"

"…I thought it a bit…too strange…" _Even for you…though I will not deny it is certainly believable…_

Yuffie blinked a few times. Vincent knew she was getting much better at telling when he was withholding information. "…But…you DID believe it didn't you!?" More laughter issued from the young ninja as she pounded lightly on her table while trying to catch her breath. "Gawd that was the best idea I ever had if even YOU believed it!"

Vincent wisely held his tongue. Admitting he believed the rumor would indicate that he had little reason to doubt it…hence…little faith in Yuffie's cooking skills. If he said he did not believe it, it would indicate that he did not think Yuffie's story plausible and therefore obviously fake which would obviously insult her skills at creating valid covers.

After a few minutes of silence Yuffie smiled. "Yeah you don't have to answer…anyway…" she said clearing their plates and washing them quickly, "…I'm glad you're going to stay the night…you know and not just vanish on me. Uh!! Um I mean not just vanish on us! You know me and the others! No one has seen you in months so it's eh…it's good to know you're alive and well…" _Gawd! Could I have sounded any less convincing!? I shouldn't have said anything at all… he's probably mentally disturbed enough about staying the night…Mentally disturbed…oh brother he probably really is!! I mean it's not like he's the type to just stay at someone's house much less at my house. I mean this is ME we are talking about…Argh! Yuffie get a hold of yourself! You're probably getting that spacey look on your face that Vincent gets when he's yapping with Chaos. _

Only after a few minutes did it become apparent that she did in fact have the spacey look on her face that she had so often seen on Vincent.

"….Yuffie? Are you alight? You do not look well…"

She blinked a few times and looked around. "I eh…I don't??"

"You look as though your mind was in a completely different dimension…"

Vincent heard her laugh softly. "Yeah well now you know how you look when you space out…" She sat down slowly and smiled. "It's kinda cute really…you get this misty look in your eyes and you look so…I dunno innocent when you're like that…but you're always thinking about something sad."

Vincent tilted his head slightly. How often had Yuffie been watching him? _Did she say I looked…kind of…cute?_

_There it is again…hehe…_ Yuffie tried not to smirk. _He looks so…cute when he starts thinking about something. Maybe it's just because when he thinks…he turns his face down like that. Then his bangs get in his eyes…then he sighs slightly…usually because he's getting frustrated…_ Sure enough, Vincent sighed.

…_Cute…Why cute? Of all things that was the last way I wanted to be thought of…easier that people feel on edge…_

Of course the greatest problem, was that she had no idea what exactly Vincent was thinking about. Hours had passed, and neither took notice, not until the sound of the night seemed to fill the house completely. It seemed always, at least to Yuffie, that Wutai was noisier at midnight than it was at midday.

"Oh gawd…it must be late…" She muttered getting up and glancing outside. "Pitch black, noisy as hell, and colder…probably about midnight maybe a few minutes after…" She glanced at Vincent and smiled slightly. "We should get to bed…"

"Bed?"

Typical of Vincent, Yuffie couldn't help but think. _It's so damn typical of him, to just say bed as though it were a foreign word and completely beyond his comprehension. _"Yeah…Bed…you know that thing you sleep in when you get tired??? You know…TIRED! Sleepy?"

"I know what a bed is Yuffie…" Vincent said slowly standing. It had more to do with the fact that she said "they" should get to bed. "You have a couch right? I'm sure you'd feel strange sleeping too close to me…"

…_Eh…well that was SORTA like…the goal of all this…Argh what the hell am I thinking?! Goal?! Gawd Yuffie you're a moron! What would you have done if you had said that out loud?! _"…Uh…Barret broke the couch about three years ago…remember? Party? Barret and Cid were so dead drunk that Cid stumbled and knocked over Barret and he busted my couch." She sighed and grumbled quietly, "And I liked that damn couch too!"

Vincent was silent, and by Yuffie's very accurate deduction, still completely clueless as to what she was hinting at. "So…what should I-"

"You can sleep in my bed! It's ok I don't bite or anything, snuggle a bit, but I don't bite. I mean it's not like we are going to do anything…"

"…Right…" Vincent muttered almost inaudibly after a few minutes. They weren't going to be…doing anything. They were friends and they had been cramped near each other asleep before. It was not like they had never been that close to each other before…they had certainly set up camp a good few times and for some reason she always slept near him. _But there were other people there those times…_

_**You make it sound as though you are worried about molesting her in her sleep…**_

_I am more concerned with why you are so eager for all this to happen…_

_**You think I would molest her in her sleep then?**_

_I have no idea what your motivation for all this is…naturally I am a bit…suspicious._

_**All I am trying to do is to get you to quit ignoring what is natural. You are attracted to her and you deny it, you want to be near her so you force yourself away from her, and for the love of whatever it is you worship look her in the eye. It is pathetic that an ex Turk is afraid to look a young girl in the eyes because you think she can read you. Alright…you want to know my motivation? I am a demonic spirit created by the tainted Lifestream. Your dear Lucrecia is not exactly letting me return to the planet until you move on…got it? Actually…that young girl Shelke…she has something to do with it too…clever of them hm? Binding my spirit to you until you get on with your life and embrace it for a change…**_

**  
**_…Clever….and cruel._ Vincent rubbed his head slightly. The mere thought that Lucrecia or Shelke would go to such an extreme was mind-boggling. He decided to put it out of his mind. Last thing he wanted was to be thinking of Lucrecia or why she would want so desperately for him to be with someone. Though it certainly did sound like the kind of thing Shelke would have done. It even sounded a bit like Aerith's doing.

In his thoughts he had not noticed that Yuffie had pulled him down onto her bed already and had curled up beside him. It was awkward. Being so close to her and feeling so far away. Yuffie had not taken notice of his slight discomfort.

"First of all I dunno how the hell you sleep in what you wear…" She was unbuckling his cloak and eventually pulled it off him. "….I mean gawd what is with you and buckles? Don't you feel ANY pain when you sleep in all these?!" She had moved to his shirt. Unbuttoning slightly and unfastening a few buckles.

"Yuffie what are you-"

"Oh chill I'm not going to strip you down…" She only unbuttoned a bit, just barely enough to see a small trace of skin. As if for good measure though, she reached up and snatched his bandana from his hair. What little hair it managed to keep out of his face, fell into it. Yuffie didn't mind though. As far as she was concerned, he looked good with messy hair in his face. "Ya know Vince…one day I'm going to introduce you to the sun. You're pale as death…" She laid her head down on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"…I suppose…" He said softly noticing that her breathing was already falling into a steady rhythm.

Before long, her longwinded questions and comments were reduced to short one or two word questions, and not long after that they ceased altogether. Silence…broken only by her soft deep breaths and the sound of the world of the night. In that silence he heard a familiar sound.

…_A nightingale…_ He glanced outside to a tree near the forest. In the dark he saw a small shape move in the trees and a quiet but gentle song filled the night air. A nightingale…his father's favorite creature... _'Lonely people often hear them Vincent…' _His father had told him when he was a young man. '_They hear the song when their life is lacking something. The song answers the questions of a troubled soul…if you are willing to hear the answers. If you ever hear the song, and I pray you do not, listen to it…and whatever it is that you yearn for, whatever you are missing, will be made clear to you…'_

Something about the song made him focus on Yuffie. Her breathing was in perfect rhythm with the strange nocturnal bird's song. Her heart seemed to beat evenly with each note of it, and even the light warm breeze drifting in, lightly blowing strands of her hair around, seemed to fit the song.

"Yuffie…" came the soft whisper from Vincent, in reply to the song. She was indeed the only logical answer, and yet he found part of him still unwilling to accept it. She was a world apart from him suited to a world of joy and happiness. _My world is only shadows…even if I tried to live as everyone wants me to misery just follows me close behind. I am not going to drag her into darkness. _

Yuffie continued to sleep silently, hearing only the strangest song in her dream. It was a bird of course, but it was the middle of the night. Birds did not sing at night…_Well...the nightingale does…but they rarely come this close to Wutai. _She walked around in the dark misty dreamland of Wutai. She was very certain she was dreaming. No dream was realistic enough for her. Wutai was always in a strange haze in her dreams, just as it was now. But for a world always in a haze, the song was so clear, so very real. She followed the sound to the woods surrounding Wutai. There among a low branch in the trees was a nightingale. It was in the mist just like everything else, but only when she forced herself to focus on it did she notice the person standing in the tree just a bit above. Eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, and then there was the sound of wind blowing something, something like fabric. _Vincent…_

Vincent looked down when Yuffie murmured his name quietly in her sleep and snuggled ever closer to him. Some men would have been thrilled to know that a woman they cared for was dreaming about them. It only troubled Vincent though. So many of the dreams she could be having involved all the times the two of them had been in danger, and one of them had almost died. Then of course there were the _other_ dreams. The kind of dreams the others, namely Cid, would have greatly enjoyed watching Vincent suffer though. Yuffie was very quiet though, so he assumed her dream to be peaceful. _Not exactly a word one would think of when considering me…peaceful…if anything I would make someone restless…uneasy…perhaps even frightened…_

Again Vincent turned his attention to the bird in the woods. How odd it was that an eerie melody in the night wind…could stir up the strangest of thoughts. What would it be like…to live a normal life with Yuffie? What would it be like to wake up to see her smile, to hear her laugh, or even to yell about him probably hogging the blankets? Seeing her wake in the morning, maybe even seeing her smile would be granted him when the dawn came. But what of the other strange thoughts plaguing his ever restless mind? After all that had happened in the past, would he be worthy of such things? _Life…love…happiness…a world I forgot existed…a world I have been trying to avoid for so long…am I even ready for it?_

Silence filled the night air. The bird with all the answers was gone and Vincent sat silently wondering…wondering if in fact he already knew if he was ready for a future. If not read for it, at least…

…_Ready to try…_

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---Well of course he spent the night…I'd have to shoot him myself if Vincent didn't spend the night…I'm pretty sure there would be a long line of people with an urge to smack him if he ran out on that offer. Anyway much thanks to all who have reviewed. Sorry this chapter is a bit short.


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